Assam Assembly: Price Rise Rocks House

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Sept 24: The Assam Assembly echoed with slogans by Congress and AIUDF MLAs on Monday when the Speaker kept his ruling reserved on an Opposition’s notice seeking the adjournment of the day’s business for discussion on the issue of rise in prices of petrol and diesel.

The House witnessed an unruly situation with the members of the Congress and the AIUDF rushing to the Speaker’s well with placards and shouting slogans against the government for its failure to check rise in prices of petrol and diesel, leading to the rise in prices of other essential commodities as well. The situation came to such a pass that the Speaker had to adjourn the House for some time.

The notice seeking adjournment of the day’s business for discussion was given to the Speaker by the Congress and the AIUDF. Arguing on the admissibility of the notice seeking adjournment, Congress MLA Ajanta Neog said: “Oil prices keep rising every day. This has led transporters raising the demand for hiking fares. The government has fallen short of taking any initiative to check rise in prices of petrol and diesel. Certainly, a discussion on the issue of price rise bodes well for the House by keeping other businesses of the day aside.”

AIUDF MLA Hafiz Rashid Basir Ahmed said: “Prices of petrol and diesel and other essential commodities have been rising due to the faulty policy of the government. The notice we’ve served has met all conditions necessary for its admissibility.”

Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia said: “The demand for 50 per cent hike in bus fares has indirectly been supported by the Transport Minister. This will have its cascading effects on the price front. If it wants, the State Government can check petrol and diesel prices by not imposing some of State taxes as has been done in some other States.” In his reply, State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said: “Petrol and diesel prices are fixed by the international market. Neither Delhi nor Dispur has anything to do on this issue. Yes, price rise is an urgent issue, but it’s a continuous process. There was rise in prices earlier as well. There are many other devices for discussing this issue. Let the Opposition avail any of those devices to discuss price rise without insisting on adjournment of the day’s businesses.”

Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami then said: “I’ve heard both the parties. I like to reserve my ruling on the issue today. I’ll give my ruling tomorrow.”

However, this led the Opposition MLAs rush to the Speaker’s well with placards and started shouting slogans against the government. They said that the government is not at all interested to discuss the issue of price rise.