Government seeks to isolate Congress on disruptions

NEW DELHI: The government on Monday said Congress had acted in a pre-determined manner to stall Lok Sabha proceedings despite the NDA agreeing to a debate on price rise in the afternoon.

The government also disputed the claim that opposition had "united" on price rise to corner the ruling party as no less than four adjournment motions had been submitted.

The adjournments included a plea by Telangana Rashtra Samithi against a central communication on police appointments while other regional parties had sought to raise issues concerning their states.

Parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu said Congress's insistence on an adjournment motion on price rise being admitted was a ruse to block proceedings as government was ready for a discussion under a non-voting clause.

The government argued that an adjournment motion is a parliamentary device to stop listed business in the light of urgent and sudden developments. Price rise did not qualify for such a description and in any case the government was ready for a discussion.