Lok Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid Opposition protests

Demanding a debate on the issues of price rise and GST rate, the Opposition on Wednesday forced adjournments in the Lower House. The House was first adjourned soon after it convened at 11 am and later at 12 noon and again at 2 pm.

Opposition members trooped into the Well, carrying anti-government placards and shouting slogans as soon as the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla concluded his remarks .

Beside a debate on inflation, the opposition also demanded the revocation of the order suspending Congress MPs Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, T N Prathapan and S Jothimani.


Despite the protests, the speaker tried to run the House and allowed Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi to reply to supplementaries.

When the protests grew louder, Birla appealed to the opposition members to go back to their seats as carrying placards and shouting slogans inside the House was not allowed.

"Such improper (ashobhaniya) behaviour is not good. You should take part in the debate. This is not good for democracy as well as individually for you. Otherwise, I will have to use the rules framed by you," he said.

Meanwhile Joshi said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has returned after recovering from an illness and the government was ready for a debate on price rise on Wednesday itself.

"The opposition does not want to participate in the debate and that is why they are staging protests. Some of the opposition-ruled states did not even reduce taxes on fuel and hence, want to run away from the debate," Joshi said.

As the opposition members continued the protest, the Speaker adjourned the House till 12 noon after about 20 minutes of proceedings.

BJP member Kirit Solanki, who was in the chair, later adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm after the opposition parties continued to create ruckus in the Lok Sabha.

Similar scenes were also witnessed in the Rajya Sabha, where the House was also adjourned till 2 pm after Opposition uproar over suspensions, other issues.