BUDGET SESSION: Deadlock continues, Congress again walks out of Assembly

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 3

The stalemate over the suspension of five Congress MLAs continued for the fourth day of the Vidhan Sabha session today, as the Opposition staged a walkout.

Kinnaur MLA Jagat Singh Negi through a point of order raised the issue of the suspension of the five MLAs, including CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri. “The decision to suspend the five MLAs was arbitrary and dictatorial, and it must be revoked immediately,” he said.

He questioned the manner in which the Assembly was recalled after it was adjourned and asked the Speaker to give his ruling. “How is it possible for us to arrive here within four minutes when the information to reconvene the session at 12.50 pm was given to us at 12.46 pm,” he said. He added that it was the prerogative of the Speaker to adjourn or recall the House but the members had to be given at least 48 hours to do so. To suspend the five MLAs was a one-sided decision.

Negi said that after an FIR was registered against the five MLAs on the complaint of the marshall, the sedition charge was added to it.

Speaker Vipin Parmar said that he would give his ruling regarding the suspension of the five MLAs after the Question Hour. Following this, the Congress MLAs started raising slogans and later walked out of the House for the fourth consecutive day since the start of the Budget session on February 26.

Later after the Question Hour, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur justified the Speaker’s decision to suspend the five legislators. “You have taken the decision on the basis of the rules and we fully support and justify your action,” he said. He added that the intentions of the Congress MLAs were doubtful, as they could have joined the House proceedings after the recall, and the decision to suspend the MLAs was taken after a one-hour discussion.

Thakur said that the FIR against the MLAs, too, was fully justified, as they had raised slogans and obstructed the Governor while he was discharging his constitutional duty. “Such an irresponsible behaviour seems to have become the habit and culture of the Congress, which I condemn,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mukesh Agnihotri, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Vinay Kumar, Satpal Raizada and Sunder Thakur continued their dharna outside the Vidhan Sabha complex. They were joined by the Congress MLAs before the start of the Assembly and later after they walked out of the House.

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