Tweet
New Delhi:A united opposition today remained adamant in the Lok Sabha on discussion on price rise under a motion that
entails voting, but the government opposed it even though it admitted that increase in fuel prices was a 'difficult' decision that would cause suffering to people. After pandemonium over the issue yesterday, Speaker Meira Kumar allowed members to have their say on the matter which has brought the government and the opposition to a stage of confrontation. After listening to the members, Kumar said she would give a ruling after lunch on whether to allow Adjournment Motions which have been moved by several opposition parties, including the BJP and the Left. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee earlier strongly pposed admission of the Adjournment Motions, saying there was no precedence to discuss price rise issue under that Motion. 'There has not been any failure of the government as enjoined by the Constitution and law,' he said. He said the government was willing to have a discussion on the issue but not under an Adjournment Motion, which can be admitted only 'if the financial discipline is not restored' and 'if the normal laws of economy are not allowed to be performed.' He contended that the decision to raise prices of petroleum products was an 'extremely hard and difficult' one taken under 'compulsion'. Admitting that it would cause 'suffering to the people', he said 'the decision-maker does not get any sadistic pleasure' by raising the prices.While opposing admission of the Adjournment Motion, Mukherjee cited the rulings of Vithal Bhai Patel, President of the Central Assembly, in 1928 and former Speakers G V Mavlankar in 1950, M A Iyengar in 1957 and G S Dhillon in 1971.
The Leader of the House said a particular Motion cannot be taken up if rules do not permit even if the majority of members want it. On the issue of duties imposed by the Centre, he said states have been the major beneficiaries while the Union government gets the flak. Of Rs 1,08,000 crore collected in terms of revenue on account of duties on petroleum products, Rs 24,000 crore goes to the states. Besides, the states impose their own duties on account of which they collect revenue to the tune of Rs 72,000 crore. In all, the states earn Rs 96,000 crore while the centre gets the revenue of Rs 84,000 crore and still gets the 'gaali (abuse) from the MPs and protagonists of the states', he said. Pressing for admission of the Adjournment Motion, the Opposition said the government had failed to control the rising prices. 'We want to censure the government because it is torturing the aam admi (common man), on whose name it came to power,' Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said.
Swaraj said the Opposition could demand a discussion under various rules but it wanted the Adjournment Motion under which there was no need for the government to resign even if the motion was passed. 'We just want to censure the government. The government will not fall if the motion is passed by the House,' she said. Swaraj said some parties currently part of the UPA too were supporting the motion and would vote in its favour. She was supported by other opposition parties and others like
SP, BSP and RJD. Kumar accepted the Opposition demand due to the 'special circumstances' under which the notices had been issued and allowed the Opposition members to explain why the motion should be admitted. NDA convenor Sharad Yadav said the opposition did not want to destabilise the government but to 'shake it out of deep slumber'. He took a dig at the government, saying 'your hands are too long and you showed it during the Cut Motion in the Budget Session', apparently hinting at UPA's abilities to manoeuvre to retain power. CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia cited several instances when the
discussion on price rise had been allowed under Adjournment Motion.
Powered by WizardRSS | Full Text RSS Feeds
entails voting, but the government opposed it even though it admitted that increase in fuel prices was a 'difficult' decision that would cause suffering to people. After pandemonium over the issue yesterday, Speaker Meira Kumar allowed members to have their say on the matter which has brought the government and the opposition to a stage of confrontation. After listening to the members, Kumar said she would give a ruling after lunch on whether to allow Adjournment Motions which have been moved by several opposition parties, including the BJP and the Left. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee earlier strongly pposed admission of the Adjournment Motions, saying there was no precedence to discuss price rise issue under that Motion. 'There has not been any failure of the government as enjoined by the Constitution and law,' he said. He said the government was willing to have a discussion on the issue but not under an Adjournment Motion, which can be admitted only 'if the financial discipline is not restored' and 'if the normal laws of economy are not allowed to be performed.' He contended that the decision to raise prices of petroleum products was an 'extremely hard and difficult' one taken under 'compulsion'. Admitting that it would cause 'suffering to the people', he said 'the decision-maker does not get any sadistic pleasure' by raising the prices.While opposing admission of the Adjournment Motion, Mukherjee cited the rulings of Vithal Bhai Patel, President of the Central Assembly, in 1928 and former Speakers G V Mavlankar in 1950, M A Iyengar in 1957 and G S Dhillon in 1971.
The Leader of the House said a particular Motion cannot be taken up if rules do not permit even if the majority of members want it. On the issue of duties imposed by the Centre, he said states have been the major beneficiaries while the Union government gets the flak. Of Rs 1,08,000 crore collected in terms of revenue on account of duties on petroleum products, Rs 24,000 crore goes to the states. Besides, the states impose their own duties on account of which they collect revenue to the tune of Rs 72,000 crore. In all, the states earn Rs 96,000 crore while the centre gets the revenue of Rs 84,000 crore and still gets the 'gaali (abuse) from the MPs and protagonists of the states', he said. Pressing for admission of the Adjournment Motion, the Opposition said the government had failed to control the rising prices. 'We want to censure the government because it is torturing the aam admi (common man), on whose name it came to power,' Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said.
Swaraj said the Opposition could demand a discussion under various rules but it wanted the Adjournment Motion under which there was no need for the government to resign even if the motion was passed. 'We just want to censure the government. The government will not fall if the motion is passed by the House,' she said. Swaraj said some parties currently part of the UPA too were supporting the motion and would vote in its favour. She was supported by other opposition parties and others like
SP, BSP and RJD. Kumar accepted the Opposition demand due to the 'special circumstances' under which the notices had been issued and allowed the Opposition members to explain why the motion should be admitted. NDA convenor Sharad Yadav said the opposition did not want to destabilise the government but to 'shake it out of deep slumber'. He took a dig at the government, saying 'your hands are too long and you showed it during the Cut Motion in the Budget Session', apparently hinting at UPA's abilities to manoeuvre to retain power. CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia cited several instances when the
discussion on price rise had been allowed under Adjournment Motion.
Powered by WizardRSS | Full Text RSS Feeds