Shimla, Sep 2 (PTI) The opposition BJP on Monday staged a walkout from the Himachal Pradesh Assembly following refusal of the Speaker to allow adjournment motion to discuss financial position of the state.
As soon as the House assembled, Vipin Parmar of the BJP wanted to raise the issue through point of order but Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania did not allow it.
Pathania said the issue could be discussed under Rule 130 (motion to consider policy, situation, statement, report or any other matter) for which members have already given notice. The matter can be discussed after question hour, he added.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur also wanted to speak but nothing could be heard in the din. As the Speaker proceeded with question hour, the BJP members staged a walkout raising slogans.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu accused the BJP of creating ruckus to derive political mileage and said the members of the opposition party are under tension due to infighting and wasting the time of the House.
He said for the first time, the monsoon session has 10 sittings and maximum questions have been asked by the BJP members. The government would reply to every question, he said, and added that the Speaker had also mentioned that he gave more time to the opposition but the ruling party was not angry over it.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said the BJP was not worried about the people and dubbed the walkout as bankruptcy of the opposition.
Chauhan said during five sittings of the House, the major agenda was of the BJP and alleged that the opposition was trying to settle personal scores. The BJP gave notice for adjournment motion but did not speak about it. The walkout was politically motivated and a drama and the BJP was wasting the time of the house, he alleged.
Revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi also said adjournment motion are brought only on serious issues.
Reacting to the walkout, the Speaker said the proceedings of the House will be conducted according to the rules and whatever is not permissible under rules will not be allowed. He said it is his effort that issues of public interest are brought for discussion and he permitted such issues. Inspite of this, the opposition did not seem to be serious, he added.
The Speaker said the leader of opposition, Vipin Parmar, Sukhram Chowdhary, Satpal Satti and some other members gave adjournment motion to discuss issues related to non-payment of salaries and allowances to employees and financial bankruptcy.
He said he informed that Congress members Kewal Singh Pathania and others had given notice for discussion on financial position under Rule 130 on August 28 last which he referred to the government for necessary action and its reply has come and the matter would be discussed in the House. Therefore, the motion is rejected, he said.
Talking to media persons outside the House after the walkout, Thakur said the chief minister is claiming that there is no financial crisis but the employees have not received their salaries and it is not clear when the employees and pensioners will get their salaries and pension.
He said the state government should clarify when the employees and pensioners will get their salaries and pension as they have no other source of income to meet their expenses. PTI BPL KSS KSS
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.