Members of the National Democratic Alliance on Thursday formed a human chain in the Parliament complex, wearing placards asking the government to control prices or quit, raising slogans outside and inside Parliament and finally forcing adjournment of both Houses. The "action' started at 11 a.m. and lasted till after noon. Leaders of the Opposition L. K. Advani and Jaswant Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh, Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav, NDA convener George Fernandes and leaders and MPs of the Shiv Sena, the Akali Dal and the Biju Janata Dal vociferously made their point on rising prices hurting the common man. Mr. Advani said the United Progressive Alliance had endangered the lives of millions of poor people by making food unaffordable. The soaring prices of food were forcing people to eat less when their nutritional intake was already precariously low. The high price of steel and cement would make housing costlier. He pointed out that ministers were blaming inflation on the global situation and trying to pass the buck to the State governments. Earlier, the Opposition MPs assembled around the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament House and formed a chain, holding their hands. Many of them were wearing aprons on which slogans were written. Congress communiston ka yeh khel, mahanga ration mahanga tel (It is a game played by the Congress and the Left, high priced cereals and expensive edible oil) read one, while another asked the government to vacate power or control prices. The protest is part of a series of nationwide agitations planned by the NDA. The BJP has called a "strike' for May 2 but it is not yet clear whether even the NDA-ruled States would close government offices that day. Some allies such as the JD(U) were not very sure whether they would participate in the May 2 strike as they had organised their own protests. After the human chain, the Opposition members entered the two Houses simultaneously towards the close of question hour, shouting slogans against the government. While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till afternoon, the Lok Sabha followed suit, as soon as the NDA members entered the House and minutes after question hour was wrapped up and papers listed were tabled. As Speaker Somnath Chatterjee went ahead with the business, the Opposition members trooped into the well after question hour and kept up their chorus of protest. Speaker condemns Before adjourning the House, Mr. Chatterjee said it was unfortunate that proceedings were being interrupted though discussions on all issues had been permitted. "With strong condemnation, I adjourn the House.' Earlier, in absentia, the NDA influenced question hour as a majority of MPs against whose names the first 12 questions were listed were from the Opposition. As a result, the 13th question was taken up first. It was a rare occasion when all questions were taken up. "Nice weekend' Taking a dig at the BJP "strike' call, the Congress spokesperson said May 2 was a well thought-out date as May 1 was a holiday and the weekend would begin on May 3. The "strike' would make it a nice, long week-end.