Demand for adjournment motion in Parliament over price rise rejected

New Delhi, Feb 24 (ANI): Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday refuted the demand of the Opposition for admitting an adjournment motion in the House on the issue of price rise.

The issue of price rise had triggered turmoil in the House and led to its brief adjournment.

After setting aside the Question Hour and permitting members to speak on the need for an adjournment motion, Kumar said the prices of food items had not risen all of a sudden and set aside the opposition demand citing rules of procedure and precedence.

Meira Kumar however allowed a short discussion in the matter immediately after the presentation of the Railway Budget.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Gurudas Dasgupta said it was the Speaker's right to admit an adjournment motion and government's permission was not required for the same.

"It is our right, by the rule book, to demand an adjournment motion. If the government stands in the way, it will send a wrong message to people that it does not want to recognise price rise as a serious issue," Dasgupta added.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Sharad Yadav said there was a huge difference between the understanding of the opposition and the government, which states adjournment motion, should be accepted to debate on matters of urgent public importance.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said both the state governments and the Centre are blaming each other for the price rise. (ANI)