Launching a scathing attack on the UPA for its "failure" to check price rise, the Opposition today demanded a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into "scams" in essential commodities like wheat, rice, pulses and sugar.

"We demand a JPC to enquire into the scams in these four areas. It should find out why such decisions were taken (which led to these scams)," Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said initiating a debate in the Lok Sabha on the price situation.

She quoted a Bollywood film dialogue about 'maal idhar se udhar karna' (wheeling-dealing) and said "the government is doing this and the matter should be investigated".

Swaraj referred to the President's address in which the government mentioned decline in food production, rise in global prices, hike in support prices to farmers and increase in income in rural areas and said "these are not only baseless but far from truth".

"The actual reasons are scams in wheat, rice, pulses and sugar and all these items are consumed by the vast majority of the poor," the BJP leader said.

The special discussion followed two days of disruption of Parliament by the opposition which sought a debate on rules which entailed voting. However, the opposition later agreed to a discussion under Rule 193, which does not involve voting.