Undesirable remarks will be expunged, says Himachal Speaker Kuldeep Pathania

Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Pathania today tried to pacify both treasury and opposition benches over a verbal spat between Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi yesterday. He assured them that undesirable remarks would be removed from the House record.

Sullah MLA Vipin Parmar raised a Point of Order and said that indecent remarks made by the Revenue Minister against Thakur and Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut were an insult to women. He added that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu should intervene whenever anyone from the treasury benches make such indecent remarks.

The Chief Minister said that when heated exchanges take place, there was bound to be retaliation so there was need for the opposition MLAs also to exercise restraint. “People are watching the Assembly proceedings, so every one of us must act responsibly. Even the Leader of the Opposition had made objectionable remarks against the Revenue Minister yesterday,” he added.

Thakur said the House should be run as per the rules. “Why is everyone saying that I keep getting angry as I am merely performing my duty as the Leader of the Opposition like Mukesh Agnihotri did while he was in the opposition,” he added.

He said, “Does the Opposition not have the right to ask questions and the Chief Minister should intervene when such an ugly spat takes place. The House runs as per the rules. When you have given me a chance to speak, why were they interrupting repeatedly. Rules are the same for everyone. The Leader of the Opposition also used the same language against me. The people of Himachal are watching the behaviour of the Opposition. My remarks against Kangana were in a lighter vein and I have always honoured the rules of the House.”

Parliamentary Affairs and Industry Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said that all objectionable remarks should be expunged. “Everyone should maintain calm so that the House can be run smoothly and maximum business can be taken up,” he added.

Parmar said that rules were being applied only to the Opposition and the Chief Minister should reprimand the ministers and the ruling party legislators, who make such remarks. “You can get the help of the Central Government through dialogue and not confrontation and not by making remarks against the Prime Minister. Parties make a government but a government is not of a party,” he added.