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Opposition walkout over fertiliser price hike
Shahid K Abbas in New Delhi |
March 03, 2003 18:22 IST
Amidst noisy protests by most of the political parties except the Bharatiya Janata Party, the entire opposition on Monday staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha during the zero hour, demanding a rollback in of the hike in prices of fertilisers and diesel as announced in the union budget.
Leaders of National Democratic Alliance constituents including the Telugu Desam Party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Janata-Dal (United), the Samata party and the Shiv Sena also urged the government to withdraw these budget proposals as it would burden the farmers who were already facing serious problems due to drought and flood in various parts of the country.
Raising the issue Samajwadi Party's Ramjilal Suman said that the hike in the fertiliser and diesel prices has put an additional burden of Rs 500 crore and the condition of the farmers demanded an immediate rollback on the prices.
TDP's Yerram Naidu said out that the prime minister has assured 8 per cent growth and therefore enough boost should be given to the agriculture sector.
DMK's Panickkam said that despite his party's demand, the finance minister has gone out on record that he would not withdraw the hike in fertiliser prices.
Devendra Prasad Yadav of the Janata Dal (U) said that though the government had failed on all fronts the farmers had filled the nation's food stock and yet the government had imposed an extra burden on them.
Congress chief whip Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, however, said that such utterances by the NDA allies were hypocritical and they should all go back to the prime minister to reassure their support. He also said that the NDA parties should either set an ultimatum to the government to roll back the hike or should withdraw support.