The martyrdom of the soldiers in the terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, in general, and the sacrifice of the young officers and soldiers from the State, in particular,  left their sombre shadow on the Uttarakhand Assembly during the ongoing Budget Session on Monday. The House heard speeches brimming with emotions as the members paid homage to the martyrs on the day. Many legislators had visited the residence of martyr Major Chitresh Bisht to offer tributes to the brave heart as his mortal remains were put for the people to pay respects before they arrived in the house.

The  sombre effect of the death coupled with the news of the martyrdom of another son of the state Major V S Dhoundiyal was clearly visible when the proceedings of the House started for the day.

The leader of the opposition (LoP), Indira Hridayesh demanded that the condolence motion for the martyrs should be taken up before any business of the House.

She said that as the members of the House were deeply moved by the martyrdom of the sons of the state they were not in a position to take part in the proceedings. The Speaker accepted her request and suspended the question hour.

The BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi in an emotionally charged speech remembered Major Chitresh Bisht as a classmate of his daughter and as a brave youngster.  He said that Bisht during his last visit to Dehradun had invited him to his marriage. “But the fate thought otherwise. I am thus attending his funeral procession instead of the    marriage procession,” he said.

The deputy leader of the Congress legislature party, Karan Mahra said that he had known the family of the martyr Chitresh Bisht. Besides, the news of the martyrdom of Major Dhoundiyal has deeply moved everyone, he said.

He too demanded that the House should be suspended as  the members were emotionally drained out. Senior Congress MLA Govind Singh Kunjwal said the government should not waste time and teach  Pakistan a lesson immediately. Independent member Ram Singh Keda suggested that India should immediately stop engaging Pakistan in every sphere. He  further said that India should refuse to play with Pakistan in cricket and other games.

In his condolence message, the parliamentary affairs minister Prakash Pant said that Major V S Dhoundiyal of 55 Rashtriya Rifles who was leading an operation against terrorists at Pinglan area of Pulwama district had received fatal gunshot wound. He had been airlifted to Base Hospital Srinagar where he breathed his last at 2.20 am on Monday, he informed the House.

The Speaker Prem Chand Agarwal too turned emotional while paying tributes to the martyr Major Bisht and Major Dhoundiyal. He said that the whole country is with the grief -stricken families of the martyrs.

The House then observed a silence of two minutes to pay respect to the brave hearts.

Mention worthy, the Congress MLAs  gave the proceedings of the House a miss after the condolence proceedings were over.

The leader of the opposition Indira Hridayesh said that they were emotionally too worn out by the deaths to participate in the rest of the proceedings.  

3 bills tabled in Assembly when reconvened after condolence motion

The state parliamentary affairs and finance minister Prakash Pant presented the Uttarakhand agricultural produce marketing ( development and regulation) (amendment) bill 2019 in the Assembly. This would pave the way for better marketing of floral produces of the state, he said. Similarly, the minister presented ‘Indian partnership (Uttarakhand amendment) bill 2019. According to him, it would help in boosting paperless culture and ease of doing business in firms, societies and chits department.

People would be able to download many important documents like revenue records and mutation certificates after passage of the bill, he said.  Pant also presented ‘The societies registration (Uttarakhand amendment) bill 2019 for the approval of the House on the day.