Charging the BJP Government for allegedly “insulting” Nehru-Gandhi family, the Congress on Friday continued their protest in Haryana Assembly for the second consecutive day, forcing the House to be adjourned minutes after the sitting began.
A day after Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij raked up a controversy on rechristening the Government complexes named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and by calling the Congress a progeny of the British as it was formed by British national Allan Octavian Hume, Congress on Friday vociferously protested on the issue, pressing for an apology from the Chief Minister and expunging the words used by the Cabinet Minister from the records.
Soon after, INlD legislators were on their feet, demanding an adjournment motion over the issue of huge losses suffered by the farmers during the recent heavy rains and hailstorm in the State. Both, main opposition INlD and the Congress targeted the State Government over different issues in the House on Friday. While the Congress raised slogan ‘BJP Murdabad’, the INlD legislators repeatedly shouted slogan ‘Give bonus to farmers’.
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 Speaker announced to adjourn the house for 15 minutes, about 10 minutes after it had assembled for Friday’s proceedings. later, the meeting with representatives of the parties convened by the Speaker also failed to resolve the issue.
The ruckus continued when the House reconvened, with leader of the Opposition and INlD senior leader Abhay Chautala demanding an adjournment motion on farmer’s issue while the Congress legislators continued their protest demanding an apology from the BJP.
The Chief Minister, then, tried to pacify the situation saying, “let the House work… All issues will be taken up. The members should maintain the decorum of the House.” “We witness exchange of personal digs in the House. It’s not that we intentionally set out to hurt someone… but sometimes, words used can be hurtful to others. There is no use of irrelevant discussion as we had extended the duration of the Assembly session so that everyone is benefited,” he said.
Referring to the remarks made by Congress on RSS during the Assembly Session, the Chief Minister said, “I have accepted that I am here due to the RSS. If any member refers to the RSS in this manner… it hurts. People have given us a historic mandate and we have been given the opportunity to work, he added.
The Chief Minister also requested the Speaker to expunge any remarks considered by him to be derogatory. Responding, the Speaker said that objectionable remarks on RSS and that, Congress is an offspring of the British would be expunged.
Taking strong objection to it, the Health Minister Anil Vij intervened, saying, “I want discussion on the words that would be expunged from the records”. Vij, who was apparently upset with the decision said, “What wrong have I saidIJ It was AO Hume who was the founder the Congress.”
At this, the Congress legislators raised a hue and cry which was followed by slogans like “Anil Vij Murdabad.” later, the Speaker managed to resolve the impasse in the Assembly ordering that objectionable words against RSS and Congress would be expunged from the records.
leader of Opposition, Abhay Chautala had earlier intervened to condemn the Congress for Thursday’s walkout and slammed the party saying that the Congress wants debate on only Nehru-Gandhi issues.Reacting to Congress’ allegations that INlD is acting like a “B-Team” of BJP, Chautala hit back at the Congress saying, “This party is not serious about anything. They do not want to discuss about farmers and important issues like saving girl child.”
The House later took up the question, hour, almost 50 minutes after the session began on Friday. Notably, the Congress legislators had on Thursday staged a walkout of the house over the issue of alleged ‘insult to Nehru-Gandhi’ family and later, submitted a memorandum to Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki requesting him to intervene and sought apology from the State Government.
Irregularities found in allotment of HUDA plots
Haryana Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu in a reply to a question during the Assembly session informed the House that an investigation on the allotment of 14 industrial plots by HUDA in 2011 in Industrial Estate, Panchkula during the regime of previous Government revealed that transparency in the allotment was not adopted and plots were allotted to the former Chief Minister’s close officials and others.
This matter has been challenged in the court, said he while adding that a total of 582 applications were received for HUDA plots. HUDA had fixed rates of Rs6,400 per square feet, but its collector rate is thrice times more.
244 challans for unauthorised use of beacons
“A total of 244 challans for unauthorised use of red/amber/blue beacons have been issued in Haryana from January 2013 to February 2015. The Government is making efforts to check the misuse of the beacons by unauthorised persons in the State, said the State Government while replying to a question on Friday.
Haryana to develop policy to deal with stray animals
Haryana Development & Panchayat Minister OP Dhankar on Friday informed the House that the State Government has proposed to develop a comprehensive policy to deal with the problem of stray animals in the State.
There are more than 1 lakh stray animals in the State. The Government is considering establishment of Gau-Abhyarans, Gau-Sadans and Gau-Garahas to solve the problem of stray cattle. At present, there are 408 Gaushalas in the state, in which over three lakh stray cattle are kept, said Dhankar.
‘Sugarcane farmers are being provided financial assistance’
Haryana Minister of State for Cooperation, Bikram Singh Yadav said that the State Government is taking all possible steps to ensure timely payment to the farmers for the cane supplied to sugar mills in the State.
The status of cane price, arrears outstanding against the sugar mills is regularly being monitored. loan of Rs190 crore has been provided by the State Government for clearance of outstanding dues in 2014-15.
An amount of Rs290 crore has also been provided in the budget 2015-16 under the head, said Yadav while replying to calling attention notice in the ongoing budget session of Haryana Assembly on difficulties faced by the sugarcane growing farmers of Haryana in getting the amount of their crops.