For the third straight day, Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday as Opposition parties continued with their vociferous protests over price rise and levying of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on certain daily use items.
Opposition members, including from the Congress, DMK, TRS and Left parties, trooped into the Well soon after the House met for the day, seeking to raise the issue of rising prices.
Apart from displaying placards and shouting slogans, some members carried packets of milk, butter milk, butter and curd in an apparent effort to register their disapproval of the decision to levy GST on certain daily use items.
Speaker Om Birla told the protesting members that they will be given the opportunity to raise the issues during Zero Hour and urged them to put across their views through discussions instead of shouting slogans in the House.
He also said that the members have not been sent to the House to raise slogans and that such ways are not good for democracy. "This House is for discussions and not for shouting slogans. This kind of conduct is not appropriate for the decorum of the House and there is a process to be followed by the members," he stressed.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said it was not right for the members to come to the Well and protest despite the Speaker assuring that they will be given an opportunity to raise issues later.
"Are the protesting members interested in discussions or not?" Joshi wondered.
Question Hour went on for about 15 minutes but as the din continued, the proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm.
Since the start of the Monsoon Session on July 18, Question Hour has been disrupted due to Opposition protests.
So far, Lok Sabha has been unable to transact much business.
Opposition parties, led by Congress, have stepped up their protests against the government, inside and outside Parliament, over the issue of levying GST on some daily use items.
Amid mounting criticism over GST on daily use items, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the five per cent tax is being levied on wheat flour and other items after nod from all states, including non-BJP ruled states.
However, the government's efforts are yet to cool the tempers of Opposition members.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to conclude on August 12.