By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha witnessed noisy scenes and multiple adjournments on Tuesday as the Opposition targeted the government for increasing fuel and cooking gas prices soon after the state elections.
According to the latest price hike announced on Tuesday, petrol and diesel will cost 80 paise more while domestic cooking gas will be dearer by Rs 50 per cylinder. The rates will differ from state-to-state depending on the incidence of local taxes such as value-added tax.
Petrol will now cost Rs 96.21 a litre in Delhi as against Rs 95.41 previously while diesel rates have gone up from Rs 86.67 per litre to Rs 87.47, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. In Mumbai, the petrol price has been hiked by Rs 0.84 per litre to Rs 110.82 per litre, and diesel by Rs 0.86 to Rs 95 per litre.
With the crucial elections to five states over, the Centre will likely allow state-owned oil marketing companies to effect gradual increase in prices over next few days to help them recoup the losses incurred from keeping prices on hold for a record 137 days at a stretch.
Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Congress, TMC and Left parties forced two adjournments of proceedings. During the Zero Hour, Trinamool members insisted that their notice on price rise under Rule 267 be admitted. As soon as the listed papers were laid on the table of the House, Opposition MPs were on their feet, raising the issue of price rise.
Naidu said he had not accepted the notices given by Shaktisinh Gohil (Congress), Dola Sen (Trinamool Congress), V Sivadasan, Elamaram Kareem and John Brittas (CPM) under Rule 267, requiring setting aside of the listed agenda to take up a discussion.
He said the issue can be discussed during demands for grants of the ministries concerned. However, the TMC members stormed into the Well carrying placards. Congress, Left, SP and Shiv Sena members also shouted slogans.
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