RS adjourned again after uproar over fuel price hike

New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the second straight day on Tuesday after the opposition again pressed their demand for a discussion on fuel price hike, which was rejected by the chair.Congress deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Anand Sharma, objected to the government's move to take up bills, saying, "This House has a tradition that until the pending matters are resolved, no government business can be undertaken."Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad then requested the opposition to allow a discussion on the Arbitration Bill, but the Leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, insisted that the issue is important since it concerns the common people, as everyone is affected due to the rise in the prices of auto fuel and LPG cylinders.He said the prices of essential commodities have gone up due to the hike in diesel prices.The House was earlier adjourned for the second time on Tuesday till 2 p.m. after the opposition created an uproar when the chair refused to allow a discussion on fuel price hike.The opposition members resorted to sloganeering, but the chair maintained that they would get ample opportunity to discuss the issue later.The House continued with the Question Hour for some time when it met at 12 noon, but due to continued pandemonium, it was adjourned till 2 p.m.Earlier, the Rajya Sabha chair had rejected the suspension of business notice given for the second consecutive day by the opposition over fuel price hike under Rule 267.Oil marketing companies (OMC) kept fuel prices unchanged for the tenth consecutive day across the four metros on Tuesday. In the national capital, petrol was selling for Rs 91.17 per litre.Similarly, in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, the fuel was priced at Rs 97.57, Rs 93.11 and Rs 91.35 per litre, respectively.
--IANS miz/arm