The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the second consecutive day on Tuesday without transacting any business amid protests by opposition members over imposition of GST on some new items and on price rise issue.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned in the morning by Speaker Om Birla after the opposition members moved to the well of the house and continued to raise slogans against the Modi government over the issue of price rise. One of the placards read "Gabbar Singh Strikes Again".
Birla first appealed to the opposition members to go to their seats and said carrying of placards inside the House is against Parliamentary Rules. He said since the House is discussing farmers' issue, the members should participate in it. "You carry rules book but don't follow rules. The rules prohibit carrying placards here but you are carrying them. You raise farmers issue outside the House but not inside”, he said and adjourned the house till 2 pm.
As soon as the Lok Sabha reassembled at 2 pm, opposition members belonging to the Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK and others came to the well of the House carrying placards to protest against price rise and imposition of the GST on some new items. After laying of papers by the members, Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, who was on the chair adjourned the House for the day.In the Rajya Sabha, proceedings in the pre-lunch session were adjourned without transacting any business as Opposition parties, including the Congress, pressed for an immediate discussion on issues ranging from price rise to the Agnipath scheme.
Members of the Congress, Left, and Aam Aadmi Party insisted on a discussion on the issues, forcing adjournment of proceedings till 2 pm.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected notices given by Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders under rule 267 that calls for setting aside the business of the day to take up the issues listed by them. "I am not admitting them," Naidu said soon after the listed papers were laid on the table.
Opposition members insisted on a discussion on the issues. "On price rise and other issues, we can have a discussion. On that I have no problem," Naidu said indicating a willingness to take up a debate on the issue at a later date under a different rule.
But this did not pacify the Opposition members who vociferously started raising the issue. Naidu asked members to resume their places and ordered that nothing that they speak would go on record. Soon after, he adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm and thereafter for the day.