The session started at Bharadisain on the expected stormy note on Thursday with the Opposition BJP members cornering the treasury bench on the emotive issue of Gairsain being declared as the permanent or summer capital of Uttarakhand. Despite the Chief Minister Harish Rawat striving hard to pacify them, the Opposition MlAs walked out of the House after the House reassembled at 3 pm, post lunch. The saffron camp accused the State Government of milking the matter for electoral purpose while keeping the announcement hang fire for an indefinite period. The BJP MlAs declared that they are boycotting the rest of the session on the same issue. After the BJP MlAs walked out the CM said the BJP had better clear its stance on the capital shift issue. “Our stance is clear. We are advancing towards the consummation devoutly wished for, step by step. It is visible on ground,” he said, adding that he was ready to convene an all-party meeting to hammer out a consensus on the sensitive matter.
Soon after the House assembled at 11 am the Opposition MlAs sprang up on their feet and shouted at the treasury bench to clear its stance once and for all to end the uncertainty with the long-awaited announcement eluding the people. They said that it was the seventh time that the entire State Government machinery had been brought to Gairsain. Yet, things are hanging in the balance with the State Government fighting shy of going for the long-delayed announcement, they said while pressuring the Speaker to ask the state government to come clear o the matter. They insisted that they would allow the House to run normally if the State Government declares Gairsain as the capital or at least the summer capital of the state.
The pandemonium continuing unabated, the state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh intervened, asking the Opposition to let the House run normally. She accused the Opposition of raising hue and cry over the matter despite knowing full well what the State Government’s stance is on it. The leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt retorted that the State Government has been trying to befool the people for a long time. Citing the Government notification issued a few months ago, saying that the infrastructure, including the Vidhan Sabha and the MlA hostel, would be used to promote tourism, Bhatt said that the intention of the State Government is clear from it. It was intent on milking the issue electorally without doing anything to bring the matter to its logical conclusion, he said.
At this point of time, the leader of the House Harish Rawat stood up and said that the Vidhan Sabha is being built with a certain objective. He further said that the government notification the Opposition was invoking had been issued by mistake. “I wonder why you are crying foul of the government on the basis of a notification mistakenly issued,” he was heard saying.
This was followed by the question hour. However, once the question hour ended the Opposition again rose to its feet, raking up the Gairsain issue with renewed vigour. They even trooped into the well of the House while sloganeering. They demanded the Government to declare Gairsain as a new district as a step forward towards the consummation. Amidst the continuing din, the treasury bench managed to complete the scheduled business. The Speaker adjourned the House at 12.50 pm till 3 pm.