Stormy start to session, Opposition rakes up price rise, Agnipath

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 18

The monsoon session of Parliament today began on a stormy note with Opposition parties, led by the Congress, creating a din and forcing adjournment of both Houses without transacting any substantial business over issues ranging from price rise, hike in the GST rates to the Agnipath scheme.

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The aggressive Opposition created a ruckus in both Houses, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged MPs before the start of the parliamentary proceedings to make the session as productive as possible and called for debate, criticism and analysis for a positive contribution to policies and decisions.

In a lighter vein, he said that in Delhi, the rains had begun, but there was no let-up in the heat outside and wondered whether the heat would come inside Parliament. Speaking to reporters, Modi said Parliament functioned and took best decisions with everyone’s “prayaas” (efforts) and urged parliamentarians to make full use of this session in national interests. Subject to exigencies of government business, the monsoon session will conclude on August 12.

In the Rajya Sabha, slogan-raising Congress members trooped to the well of the House, raising issues relating to price rise and GST as soon as Naidu read out the obituary references. “As some people have come determined not to allow the House to function and also enable members to go and vote in the presidential election, I am adjourning the House for the day,” Naidu said.

As Opposition members raised slogans, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said elections in India were celebrated as a “festival” and since the presidential poll was underway, it should also be celebrated. He said members should participate in the “festival” and adjourned the House till 2 pm.

Besides Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Congress president Sonia Gandhi were among those present in the Lok Sabha.

As the Lok Sabha reconvened at 2 pm, members of Left parties were in the well of the Houseprotesting inflation while Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tried to raise some issue.

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