Noisy scenes, heated altercations and walkouts marked the second day of the Budget session of Haryana Assembly on Tuesday.
The Opposition parties, Indian National lok Dal and Congress lambasted the Manohar lal Khattar Government on the issues of non-completion of Sutlej Yamuna link (SYl) canal and ongoing agitation of anganwadi workers.
Heated exchanges of words were also witnessed between the treasury benches and INlD legislators following leader of opposition Abhay Singh Chautala’s personal remarks against Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala.
As soon as the question hour ended on Tuesday, INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala demanded moving an adjournment motion to discuss the issue of SYl canal.
A day before party’s rally in national capital on March 7 to press the Central Government for completion of SYl canal, Chautala alleged that more than an year has passed since the favourable verdict from Supreme Court had paved the way for the completion of remaining portion of SYl canal but the BJP led Central and State Government has failed to start the construction work.
Kiran Choudhry, leader of the Haryana Congress legislature Party, also backed the demand of discussion on SYl canal issue.
The Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar, however, rejected the motion of adjournment saying that since the matter related to SYl canal is sub-judice, it cannot be discussed in the House.
Angry INlD legislators then shouted slogans including ‘Kisan Virodhi Sarkar Murdabad’, SYl Virodhi Sarkar Murdabad’, while Abhay Chautala rushed to the well and sought time from the Speaker to speak on SYl canal issue.
Following this, the Speaker asked Chautala to return to his seat and speak on SYl canal during the discussion on the Governor’s address.
Soon after, the Congress legislators were on their feet and rushed into the well, demanding that the Chair accepts the adjournment motion on SYl canal issue. After Speaker’s refusal to accede to their demand, the Congress MlAs staged a walkout from the House.
On the other hand, Abhay Chautala also remained adamant on his demand and launched a scathing attack on the BJP Government saying “We want answers from the Chief Minister on the steps taken for the construction of SYl canal.”
Responding to this, Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister OP Dhankar alleged that INlD protest on the issue of SYl canal is a political drama.
Speaker Kanwar Pal also took potshots at the INlD MlAs asking them, “Do you want to prepare for tomorrow’s rally in DelhiIJ”
In protest, the INlD legislators staged a symbolic walkout from the House and returned after a minute to attend the House proceedings.
In the meantime, the Congress legislators also returned to the House and demanded discussion on the issue pertaining to an ongoing stir launched by anganwadi workers and helpers in support of their various demands.
When Speaker disallowed a discussion on the issue, the Congress MlAs stormed into the well of the House for the second time on Tuesday and also raised slogan ‘Mahila Virodhi Sarkar Murdabad’.
After witnessing noisy scenes, walkouts, sloganeering for about an hour, the Speaker then allowed the opposition to speak on the issue of anganwadi workers for 15 minutes.
The anganwadi workers have been on the agitation since February 12 demanding regularisation of their services, facility of maternity leave, pension among other demands.
Will not allow lal Rang Ki Badmashi in Hry: CM
Responding to the opposition on the issue of ongoing protest by anganwadi workers in the state, the Chief Minister Manohar lal, while targeting communist party on Tuesday said that the government will not allow lal Rang Ki Badmashi (red coloured hooliganism) in Haryana.
The Chief Minister was referring to the communist party’s red flag. One of the anganwadi karamchari associations in Haryana is affiliated to the Socialist Unity Centre of India (communist).
Manohar lal also made an appeal to the anganwadi workers to end their agitation and return to their work.
Earlier, the ClP leader Kiran Choudhry, while raising the issue said that these women who are protesting have converged here from all over Haryana and their demands are very logical. We are asking the government to fulfill the poll promises and regularise their services, she added.
leader of opposition, Abhay Chautala said that the BJP had in its election manifesto promised to regularise their jobs. "Now, three-and-a-half years have passed, but no one has been made regular employee. Anganwadi workers are also demanding maternity leave, summer or winter holidays and pension, he said.
In his reply, the Chief Minister clarified that the BJP Government never promised to regularize the services of anganwadi workers.
He said that the State Government has categorised the anganwadi workers as skilled and semi-skilled besides enhancing the monthly wages of skilled anganwadi workers to Rs 11,429, highest in the country.
The monthly wages of semi-skilled workers has been increased to Rs 10,286 and of helpers to Rs 5,715. With this, the anganwadi workers would be able to get all the benefits as admissible to skill and semi-skilled workers including Provident Fund (PF). The Government would also consider their demand of holidays during the service, he assured. Manohar lal added that a meeting was held with the representatives of three unions of anganwadi workers here which have welcomed these decisions.
After this, Congress legislators staged a walkout expressing disappointment over the Chief Minister’s reply.
Barala and Chautala engaged in a war of words
The Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar on Tuesday warned the legislators against making personal remarks in the House.
The warning was issued after Abhay Chautala allegedly made personal remarks against BJP state president Subhash Barala when the INlD legislators were staging a walkout in the House. While the Speaker directed to expunge the words used by Chautala from the records, the BJP legislators demanded an apology from the leader of opposition and also raised slogan ‘Gundagardi Nahi Chalege’ against him.
This triggered angry reactions from the INlD legislators, who began shouting ‘Subash Barala Murdabad’. Amid commotion which continued for several minutes, the Speaker issued a warning to all legislators to not make any personal remarks in the House.