The Hindu : Front Page : Opposition stages walkout over price rise

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 02, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

Opposition stages walkout over price rise

By Anita Joshua

NEW DELHI, DEC.1. The first day of the winter session of Parliament today saw the Left parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Opposition on the same side in the Lok Sabha on the price hike issue. The entire Opposition staged a walkout over the ``galloping inflation.'' While the Left raised the issue separately during zero hour, the BJP organised a protest rally outside the House.

The opening day also saw the Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, keep a tight rein on the proceedings — complete with a threat to suspend a dozen Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) members for picketing the well of the House. Yet, besides the walk-out, the House was adjourned 15 minutes ahead of schedule in the pre-lunch session with Rashtriya Janata Dal and BJP members locking horns over a newspaper report relating to the Leader of the Opposition, L.K. Advani.

Inflation

The issue of price rise was raised by V.K. Malhotra (BJP) during zero hour ahead of a calling attention notice by the Left parties on the collapse of the Global Trust Bank. Saying that inflation would touch double digits in the near future, he said the Congress had ``betrayed'' its election slogan of ``Congress ka haath, aam aadmi ke saath'' (Congress is with the common man).'

Stating that the ruling coalition was divided on the price hike, Mr. Malhotra said the matter ought to be put to vote under Rule 184 and the nation would then be able to see that the country was being ruled by a minority government. Other members also echoed concern over the price hike with Mohan Singh of the Samajwadi Party demanding a clear Government statement on what he called ``runaway inflation.''

While the entire Opposition walked out in protest, the issue was raised after a while by Gurudas Dasgupta of the Communist Party of India. He said the Government had failed to consult its supporting parties prior to increasing the prices of petroleum products at a time when international prices were falling. ``We suspect the Government is using the high international price of oil as a pretext for mobilising additional revenue.'' But mindful of the glee in the Opposition ranks over an ally of the ruling coalition criticising the Government for the growing inflation, Mr. Dasgupta was categorical that the Left would not allow the BJP to exploit such differences.

Cooperation

After frequent warning by the Speaker of using the suspension clause and reminding the members of their parties' promise to allow smooth functioning of the House this time round, the Opposition relented and cooperated with the Chair. Even the introduction of the Coal Minister, Shibu Soren, by the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, as a recent induction to his Cabinet drew only a mute round of ``shame-shame'' from the Opposition benches.

It was the BSP which held up the proceedings with a dozen of its members trooping into the well of the House protesting against the arrest of the party MP, Tahir Mohammad, and demanding the dismissal of the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government in Uttar Pradesh. It was only after the Speaker named each member and threatened to invoke the suspension rule that they lifted their siege; that, too, after considerable persuasion by Congress leaders.

Time and again, Mr. Chatterjee pulled up the members from both sides; maintaining that cooperation with the Chair meant abiding by the rules of the House and not re-writing them at will. When the CPI(M) member, N. N. Krishna Das, sought to interrupt the Speaker during question hour, Mr. Chatterjee shot back: ``You have to give up this habit of interrupting the Speaker.''

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