The monsoon session in Parliament got off to a stormy start today, as the Opposition vociferously protested against rising prices and demanded adjournment motions that entail voting.
The uproar on the first day of the session led to repeated disruptions and finally both houses were adjourned.
As the government ruled out the demand for a debate on the issue – fearing an embarrassment on the floor of the House – opposition MPs refused to bow down and threatened to continue with the agitation on Wednesday.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said there was no logic in accepting the opposition’s demand for an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha. “Price rise is not a new issue. There have been discussions in the past on it. According to rules, there can’t be an adjournment motion (a debate with voting) on an old issue,” he said.
Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) leader in Rajya Sabha argued, “If the government is confident about its strength in the Parliament why don’t they accept our demand and face a vote on the floor of the House?”
Yechury, however, denied any link or floor co-ordination with the BJP-led NDA on the issue. “We are talking to all secular opposition parties on how to force the government to take steps to curb price rise.”
BJP’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde said, “We will also bring an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha tomorrow and will not agree to a discussion under any other provision. We want voting on the issue.”
While there are several issues – like the Women’s Reservation Bill and illegal mining in Karnataka – that could breach the fragile opposition unity, the parties are carefully calibrating their steps to maximise their chances of remaining united.
To bolster their chances of keeping the government under pressure and keep their ranks united, the opposition parties have another issue close to their heart — the Bhopal gas disaster.
The BJP, the Left and several others are critical of the government’s role in the tragedy and the verdict against the accused. They want more compensation and stricter punishment for Dow Chemicals. According to sources in the Left, the parties are contemplating raising the issue next week. They would seek that Dow Chemicals be made responsible for cleaning up the toxic waste at the Bhopal factory site.
In the Rajya Sabha, too, the opposition parties pressed for suspension of the Question Hour (under Rule 168) to discuss and vote on price rise. The opposition also plans to continue with their demands tomorrow led by the BJP.
While the BJP said it has discussed its floor co-ordination strategy with “other political parties”, CPI(M) denied any co-ordination with the main opposition. “We are fully confident that almost the entire opposition will be united on price rise. Samajwadi Party and RJD also want voting on this issue,” Munde said.
Congress, however, criticised the opposition’s attitude and said, “In a democracy, problems are solved through dialogue, discussion and debate, and not through disruption.”
Meanwhile, defending the increase in fuel product prices and their deregulation, government today said the rise in their cost was "minimal" and such a decision was needed to improve the financial health of oil marketing companies.
“The price increases, particularly in respect of cooking gas, that is domestic LPG and PDS kerosene, have been quite minimal," Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora said in a statement in Lok Sabha, as Opposition members trooped into the well shouting slogans to protest the hike.
