1The second day of the Monsoon Session of Haryana Assembly began on a stormy note on Thursday with State’s main Opposition party, INlD demanding discussion on ‘Jat reservation’ issue.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, the Indian National lok Dal (INlD) legislators demanded suspension of Question Hour, requesting the Speaker that their adjournment motion on ‘Jat reservation’ issue be taken up first.
Pressing for a discussion on the ‘Jat reservation’issue, leader of opposition and INlD senior leader, Abhay Singh Chautala said, “It is a crucial issue for the State and the State Government should clarify its stand on this. Various leaders of the BJP are having different opinion and are publicly speaking in different tones on the issue.”
At this, the Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar told the INlD legislators that the Government has followed the Court orders on the issue. It is not an urgent issue.
let the question hour end and the issue would be taken up for discussion later, said he.
Soon after, INlD legislators were on their feet, demanding an adjournment motion over the issue.
The Chief Minister, then, tried to pacify the situation saying, “This is an old issue and has been going on for years. The Government is not against it but serious about the same. let the Question Hour end and all issues will be taken up for discussion.”
The INlD legislators, however remained adamant demanding the adjournment motion be taken up immediately.
“BJP’s MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini has opposed Jat reservation. Hence, the Government must clarify its stand on the ‘Jat Reservation’ issue,” said Chautala.
Taking strong objection to the statement, the Health Minister Anil Vij intervened, saying, “Raj Kumar Saini is not the member of this House and his name should not be mentioned here.
“You can not discuss about him or mention his name here in the House,” Vij told Chautala.
Even as the chaos continued over the issue, Chautala also sought Government’s explanation over its move to make minimum educational qualification mandatory for contesting the upcoming panchayat elections in the State.
Soon after, INlD legislators raised a hue and cry which was followed by slogan ‘BJP Murdabad.”
The Congress sailed with the INlD legislators as Congress legislators led by ClP leader Kiran Chaudhary also demanded an explanation from the ruling BJP on these issues.
At this point, the Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar’s repeated appeals to the Congress and INlD legislators to resume their seats were of no avail.
As the pandemonium continued, the Chief Minister intervened again saying, “There is no need to stop the Question Hour for this. The Government understands that this is a crucial issue but can be taken up later for the discussion.
It is not necessary to merely hold discussions on any topic, but it is also necessary for everyone to abide by court verdicts and the Constitution.”
Haryana Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu also requested the INlD legislators to let the House work.
The House later took up the Question Hour, almost half an hour after the session began on Thursday.