This Article is From Mar 04, 2013

Parliament adjourned till noon on petrol price issue

New Delhi: Parliament was today adjourned till noon amid vociferous protests by the Opposition over the recent hike in petrol prices.

Members of Left parties, Trinamool and AIADMK trooped into the Well of the Lok Sabha while BJP members shouted slogans from their seats against the hike.

In the Rajya Sabha, members were seen protesting from the aisles.

It was trouble from the word go in the Lok Sabha. As soon as Speaker Meira Kumar made the obituary references, Basudeb Acharia (CPI-M) was on his feet demanding that Question Hour be suspended and the House take up discussion on the petrol price hike.

"I have given notice for suspension of Question Hour," he said as the Speaker called for the Question Hour.

State-owned oil companies had on March 1 announced a Rs 1.40 per litre increase in petrol price.

As Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) put a supplementary question to Defence Minister A K Antony on the controversial VVIP helicopter deal, Left, Trinamool Congress and AIADMK members trooped into the Well raising slogans against the hike.

Kalyan Banerjee (TMC) was seen exhorting his party colleagues to join him in the Well.

The noise grew louder as Antony replied to the question on the chopper deal.

As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon.
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