In the run up to Holi, the State Assembly saw all the colours in its basket during the 23-day Budget Session, before closing sine die on Friday. However, amid din five Bills related to higher education were passed without debate.
Continued demonstrations on the domicile policy made the members of JMM and Congress stage a march, while BJP legislators thumped their desks and chanted "jai, jai Jharkhand, loot liya Jharkhand."
The chant by the BJP legislators was to match JMM's sloganeering seeking immediate declaration of the domicile policy. Apart from this, the last day of the Budget Session was ruined by the contentious issue of land compensation at Godda, for which a committee, headed by a Chief Secretary is touring the district.
As soon as the House resumed in the morning, leader of Opposition Hemant Soren demanded that the Government freeze appointments until the domicile policy is in place. Soren joined his party men who were already protesting in the Well of the House and waving pamphlets.
The House was adjourned and the recess was used for reconciliation. Chief Minister Raghubar Das invited the loP for a dialogue in an attempt to end the deadlock.
Nevertheless all hopes of smooth sailing of the House shattered soon after the Assembly met after the adjournment. Hemant again continued with the rhetoric, but not before bringing up the land issue also and accusing the committee of being partisan.
"We had raised the land compensation issue here in the House and after that the Government formed the committee. It was said that the committee would consult people's representatives and local leaders in Godda. But we came to know that the team is visiting Godda today when we all are here. Even mukhiyas and local leaders are not being allowed in the consultations that are going on," said Soren which was seconded by JVM's Pradeep Yadav.
Speaker Dinesh Oraon sensing no headway amid the tug of war, called HRD Minister Neera Yadav for tabling the Bills for discussion.
It was no less than a cruel joke on Parliamentary democracy when five Bills related to higher education got passed in minutes without having a single word transacted on their merit.
Jharkhand State University (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that was presented with suggestions of the Select Committee earlier was among Amity University Bill, 2016, Pragyan International University Bill, 2016, Jharkhand State Higher Education Council Bill, 2016 and AISECT University Bill, 2016 those were rushed to be assented. Earlier this week, six other Bills got passed in a similar fashion.
And, then came the customary concluding speech from the Speaker who conveyed about the "cool of AC as well as heat" the House witnessed during the Session. "Weather changes its colour but we should not change like that. Humans have wisdom that separates us from animals. Freedom of expression does not mean suppressing others' voice," were the words of Dinesh Oraon that summed up the bitterness overruling the session quite eloquently.
Outside, some more colour was to be spread as the Chief Minister played Holi with legislators, sang the festival's iconic songs and played musical instruments.
Though, it was not the music that the ears of masses in the State wanted to hear!
caption : Sports Minister Amar Kumar Bauri takes a selfie with Chief Minister Raghubar Das after playing Holi with him on the concluding day of the Budget Session outside the Assembly in Ranchi on Friday. Pix by Ratan lal