Tempers run high over minister’s remarks : The Tribune India

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Tempers run high over minister’s remarks

SHIMLA: Tempers ran high as the Vidhan Sabha today witnessed heated exchanges and sloganeering by Opposition Congress which accused the government of trying to threaten MLAs and muzzle their voice.

Tempers run high over minister’s remarks

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur with party state president Satpal Satti during a meeting at the BJP party office at Chakkar in Shimla on Friday. Photo: Amit Kanwar



Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 23

Tempers ran high as the Vidhan Sabha today witnessed heated exchanges and sloganeering by Opposition Congress which accused the government of trying to threaten MLAs and muzzle their voice.

It was while replying to the issue of delay in construction of the Town Hall at Sujanpur in Hamirpur raised by Rajinder Rana under Rule 61 that remarks by Town and Country Planning Minister Sarveen Choudhary had the entire Opposition on its feet. The MLAs had heated exchanges with her as she said accountability must be fixed on MLAs and not officials for any delay.

The Opposition was so perturbed that CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri went to the extent of stating that if this is the attitude of the minister, the entire Congress will boycott her and not ask her any questions. He sought an apology from Choudhary.

Even as the Congress MLAs in one voice reacted sharply to remarks by Choudhary, Deputy Speaker Hans Raj adjourned the house for lunch break. The agitated Congress MLAs raised the issue immediately after the house re-assembled.

Rana, who had raised the issue, said as an MLA it is his duty to raise issues concerning the public. “Have I committed a crime by asking a question? After all I am an elected MLA and not a nominated person,” he said. He said the minister must apologise and the remarks by her be expunged from the proceedings.

However, the minister remained adamant on her stand and said she would not apologize. “The MLA can use all possible adjectives to run down the department, which had taken timely action so why should I apologize,” said Choudhary. This provoked the Congress MLAs further who started raising slogans.

Seeing the situation aggravate, Speaker Rajeev Bindal pacified both while making it amply clear that MLAs cannot be held accountable. “I do not want any conflict on the issue as execution of works is always done by the officials even though ministers and MLAs lay the foundation stone or inaugurate projects,” said Bindal.

Congress MLA Harshwardhan Chauhan apologized for his remarks while participating in a debate yesterday. He said he had no intentions of hurting the sentiments of any person or community, when Kamlesh Kumari raised the issue today. “My statement should seen in entirety as I only said that officials at times take undue advantage of the fact that some of the Panchayati Raj elected women and scheduled caste members do not have knowledge of functioning of the panchayats,” he said while reading from the Assembly record. He, however, said that if anybody had been hurt he apologises.

As Kamlesh Kumari remained adamant and said that she would not accept the apology, Speaker Bindal said the issue should not be raised any further as it had been settled with the apology.

The trigger 

  • It was while replying to the issue of delay in construction of the Town Hall at Sujanpur in Hamirpur raised by Rajinder Rana that remarks by Town and Country Planning Minister Sarveen Choudhary had the entire Opposition on its feet. The MLAs had heated exchanges with her as she said accountability must be fixed on MLAs and not officials for any delay
  • The Opposition was so perturbed that CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri went to the extent of stating that if this is the attitude of the minister, the entire Congress will boycott her and not ask her any questions. He sought an apology from Choudhary 
  • Even as the Congress MLAs, in one voice, reacted sharply to remarks by Choudhary, Deputy Speaker Hans Raj adjourned the house for lunch break. The agitated Congress MLAs raised the issue immediately after the house re-assembled

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