Deputy CM dons role of Opposition

Pradeep Sharma

Chandigarh, August 28

For the second time in the ongoing monsoon session of the Haryana Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala donned the role of the Opposition questioning Speaker Gian Chand Gupta over the conversion of the short notice discussion into a calling attention motion.

As soon as Gupta announced taking up of the calling attention motion on damage to barley crop in south Haryana, Dushyant was on his feet terming Speaker’s decision to convert the short notice discussion into the calling attention motion as “unconstitutional”.

“The House should be run according to the Constitution as you (Speaker) occupy a constitutional post,” Dushyant said adding that this conversion was against rules of business.

Claiming that besides rules of business, the House was also run on conventions, Gupta claimed that there were several precedents in the past when such decisions were taken based on the conventions. However, leader of the JJP, asserted that the Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa had assured the House on August 25 that this was last time when such a decision was taken.

On August 25, Dushyant had taken on Gangwa, who was in the Chair, saying that “if short duration discussion is converted into calling attention motion, then it is a violation of Rules and Procedures.”

The Speaker, however, stuck to his guns asserting that the decision was in accordance with conventions.

War of words

The decision to convert short notice discussion into calling attention motion is unconstitutional and against rules of business. — Dushyant Chautala, Deputy CM

There are several precedents of converting a short notice discussion into a calling attention motion. It is perfectly in accordance with conventions. — Gian Chand Gupta, Speaker