Monsoon session: BJP members stage walkout from Himachal Vidhan Sabha

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 18

The opposition BJP on Monday staged a walkout on the opening day of the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha as their demand for allowing debate on devastation caused by recent monsoon rains under Rule 67 was rejected by Speaker Kuldeep Pathania.

The Speaker rejected the adjournment motion moved by the Opposition under Rule 67, while stating that a notice for debate on the devastation caused by rains had already been received from the government under Rule 102. “Since the subject matter of the two resolutions moved by the government and the Opposition is the same, I am clubbing the two so that debate can be held after postponing the business for the day,” said Pathania. All the members can take part in the debate for any number of days that are required by postponing the listed business. 

Enraged by the decision, the Opposition MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Vipin Parmar and Randhir Sharma, said no doubt the subject matter for the debate was same, but the intention of the government was different which will be revealed shortly. “Nothing can be more important that discussing the loss of life and property during the monsoon rains, so attributing political motives to our concerns is not appropriate,” Leader of Opposition said.

As Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu started presenting his resolution on the damages caused by rains with the permission of the Speaker, BJP legislators led by Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur staged a walkout, while raising slogans. However, they returned to the House after some time.

The Chief Minister moved a resolution urging the Centre to declare the calamity in Himachal as a “national disaster”. Sukhu said the Himachal Government was hopeful that the Centre would declare the rains a national calamity as it had done in the cases of Kedarnath, Joshimath and Bhuj so that the State received liberal financial assistance.

Sukhu said people from all sections of society had donated liberally towards the Disaster Relief Fund and urged the BJP MLAs to also donate liberally so that the affected families can be given maximum possible help.

The Chief Minister lashed out at the BJP for trying to do politics even during such a crisis.  He said when the sentiment of both sides was same, then why is the Opposition trying to politicise the matter.

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