Dharamshala/Shimla (HP), Dec 5 (PTI) Pandemonium erupted in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on the last day of the winter session in Dharamshala on Friday after the members of the ruling Congress and opposition BJP clashed over the use of “unparliamentary and indecent” language.
The uproar led to a 40-minute adjournment.
The confrontation started after the Question Hour, when Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi sought information regarding a breach of privilege complaint he had submitted against Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday. Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said he has received the complaint under Rule 75, is examining it and will inform the House later.
Raising the same issue through a point of order, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vipin Singh Parmar said the Assembly has its own decorum and traditions and that certain words used in the House have violated convention. He alleged that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is protecting a minister and violating the House’s traditions.
This triggered an altercation between the two sides, prompting the speaker to adjourn the House. The proceedings resumed after about 40 minutes.
During this period, the speaker urged the members of both the ruling and opposition benches to refrain from speaking or using unparliamentary language, adding that such words would not be included in the proceedings. He said restraint should be exercised during protests and reminded the members that they are political opponents, not enemies, and should speak in a dignified manner.
With the speaker’s intervention, the House proceeded with its business. Pathania facilitated reconciliation between the two sides and allowed them to present their views. He said in the future, unparliamentary words will not be part of the proceedings.
When the speaker gave Negi an opportunity to speak, the minister said it is the beauty of democracy that everyone gets a chance to express their views and claimed that he never used unparliamentary words. He said the opposition is threatening him, but he is a tribal and does not fear anyone. He added that people have elected him five times and the Congress has made him a minister.
Thakur said he too did not use any unparliamentary words. He said people decide who becomes the chief minister and who becomes an MLA, adding that the people of Seraj elected him with a huge majority six times. Thakur said repeated controversies involving the same minister should be looked into, adding that disagreements should be put aside for the House to move forward. He said the ruling party should have a larger heart.
Sukhu said the Congress already has a big heart and the opposition was given ample opportunity to speak. He said a minister has its own dignity and the opposition should be careful in what it says and about whom. He said opposition MLAs often use inappropriate language in anger and added that personal comments should be removed from the records to maintain the dignity of the House.
In response, the speaker said unparliamentary and indecent words would not be part of the records of the Assembly’s official proceedings. PTI BPL AKY RC
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