BJP protests as Congress legislators return late for post-lunch session in Himachal Assembly

Shimla, March 21

BJP MLAs staged a protest against the Congress members who returned late for the post-lunch session here today.

“The post-lunch session was scheduled to start at 2:20 pm. The BJP MLAs reached the House on time, but the Congress members, except for three MLAs, did not return. We waited till 2:35 pm and then came out to register our protest,” said Randhir Sharma, BJP chief spokesperson.

He said, “We went to the Speaker’s chamber to check when the House would resume, but he could not give us any time. This shows the government is not serious about the Budget session.”

Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said that the Congress MLAs could not return to the House on time, as most of them were at the press conference being held on the occasion of the government completing 100 days.

“The press conference took a little longer, hence the delay,” said Chauhan. “How many times the Chief Minister came late during the BJP government?”, he asked.

The Opposition, however, was not convinced and accused the ruling party of not taking the debate on the Budget seriously. “The Chief Minister, ministers and the CPS walked out of the House before lunch when their own MLAs were speaking. This shows the government is not serious about the discussion on Budget,” said Sharma.