Price rise rocks Assam House

Guwahati, Apr 2 (UNI) The issue of price rise of essentials today rocked the Assam Assembly after the Opposition created a ruckus, expressing dissatisfaction over the reply furnished by the Food and Civil Supplies Minister to a Zero Hour discussion, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for ten minutes.

The Opposition, later, took out a procession near the Assembly premises, demanding immediate check on rise in prices of essential food commodities.

The issue generated a serious discussion in the Zero House, with the Leader of Opposition Chandra Mohan Patowary raising it. Former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, BJP legislator Ranjit Dutta and CPI MLA Dhrupad Borgohain also participated in the discussion and highlighted the plight of the people due to price rise.

Minister Nazrul Islam stated that the price rise in the state was a reflection of global as well as national inflation.

Moreover, decline in internal production has also contributed to price rise, besides transportation costs.

However, the Opposition alleged that the minister was justifying the price rise and stormed into the well of the House. They also displayed garlands made of potatoes, onions and other food items and placards and shouted slogans against the government. The treasury benches too reiterated by shouting slogans against the Opposition and terming their concern for price rise a publicity gimmick.

The Speaker adjourned the House for ten minutes, with the Opposition parties, barring the CPI, staying away from the proceedings for rest of the day.

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