BJP, Cong MLAs clash over Shimla college incident

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 28

The Assembly today witnessed unruly scenes as the ruling Congress and BJP MLAs almost came to blows after arguments over the Opposition’s demand for a debate on a clash in a Shimla college. Opposition members started a protest in the well of the House after being denied permission by the Speaker to raise the issue.

It is for the second time since 1982 that the situation turned so ugly in the House. Had some ministers and senior MLAs from both parties not intervened, the situation could have been even worse. There was pandemonium for almost one-and-a-half-hour as BJP members sat in the well of the House, raising slogans and left only after it was adjourned till Monday.

They resorted to sloganeering and thumping of tables after being denied an opportunity to raise the issue. It was during this melee that derogatory remarks, made by BJP president Satpal Satti against a Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS), had Congress MLAs on their feet, with Virbhadra objecting to such remarks. “Such remarks only reflect the level to which the BJP has stooped and to make matters worse, they are now shielding those indulging in goondaism. The students not only beat up the Principal but also his wife and I demand that the guilty students must be rusticated,” he said. He rued that only one side of the picture had been presented before the media.

Not heeding to the request of Speaker BBL Butail to return to their seats, the BJP MLAs trooped to the well of the House, raising slogans. Satti walked up to the CM and handed him some papers, which Virbhadra tore and threw back with the BJP chief retaliating in a similar manner. It aggravated the situation. Infuriated BJP member Randhir Sharma pulled CPS Neeraj Bharti by the arm but ministers GS Bali, Mukesh Agnihotri and Asha Kumari saved the situation. Seeing the disorder in the House, the Speaker adjourned it for 15 minutes. While the ruling party MLAs left the House, BJP members continued raising slogans.

Even after the house re-assembled at 12.35 pm, there was complete chaos as BJP continued its protest. The entire business for the day, including tabling of Bills, was done during the bedlam.

MLA beaten up in 1982

Old timers said the only occasion they remembered when there was manhandling of an MLA in the Assembly was in 1982. BJP members crossed over to the treasury benches and beat up BJP MLA Ganu Ram who had defected to the Congress.