Noisy scenes, heated altercations and Opposition’s walkout marked the second day of the monsoon session of Haryana Assembly on Monday.
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 enforcement of ESMA to ban strike by government employees in the state.
As soon as the question hour ended, Leader of opposition in Haryana Assembly and INLD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala demanded moving an adjournment motion to discuss the issue of SYL canal.
Lashing out at the State Government, Chautala said that the government is deliberately delaying the construction of SYL canal. The issue is not sub-judice in the Court and the BJP is trying to mislead the general public on the issue of SYL canal, he alleged.
The INLD had on September 8 held ‘Haryana Bandh’ to press for the demand of construction of SYL canal.
“Despite the directions of Supreme Court, both BJP led Central and Haryana Governments have failed to ensure completion of SYL canal, which is a lifeline of farmers of the state,” Chautala said.
He also slammed the State Government for enforcing the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to prevent the strike of roadways employees in the state.
“The employees are against the privatization and the strike was called against the State Government’s decision to hire more than 700 private buses to ply outside and within the state. But, this government is busy in implementing its anti-employee policies,” the INLD leader alleged.
Kiran Choudhry, Leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party, also backed the demand of discussion on issues of SYL canal and problems of government employees.
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.
Kanwar Pal said that the legislators were allowed to speak on the SYL canal issue during the budget session of Haryana Assembly and the adjournment motion cannot be accepted now.
Following this, all INLD legislators were on their feet and started shouting slogans including ‘Kisan Virodhi Sarkar Murdabad’, SYL Virodhi Sarkar Murdabad’, Karamchari Virodhi Sarkar Murdabad’ against the State Government.
Amid sloganeering by INLD legislators, the Congress MLAs rushed to the well and sought time from the Speaker to speak on SYL canal issue and problems of government employees. Earlier Congress MLAs Kuldeep Sharma and Karan Singh Dalal had also rushed to the Well demanding a discussion on the problems and protest of government employees in the state.
After the Congress legislators returned to their seats, the INLD MLAs led by Abhay Chautala trooped into the Well of the House and demanded the Chair accepts the adjournment motion on SYL canal issue.
The Speaker then asked Chautala to return to his seat and speak on Dadupur Nalvi irrigation project and other issues during calling attention motion.
Even as the INLD legislators returned to their seats, they continued sloganeering against the State Government despite a warning by the Speaker.
As soon as the Speaker started ‘naming’ the INLD legislators for their ‘unruly behavior’, they staged a symbolic walkout from the House on the issue of SYL canal and returned after a minute to attend the House proceedings.
The noisy scenes, sloganeering followed by a walkout continued for more than half an hour in the House.
Opposition accuses govt of ignoring sportspersons
The second day of the monsoon session of Haryana Assembly on Monday began on a stormy note with the opposition parties—INLD and Congress—accusing the BJP of neglecting the sportspersons of the state.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Vij said that the House should congratulate the medal winners from Haryana in Asian Games.
He informed that the House that sportspersons from Haryana won 17 medals in these games held at Jakarta recently. In these games, Haryana won 5 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 7 bronze medals, he said.
He also mentioned the names of medal winners and assured to give them prize money and jobs as per the sports policy of the State Government
While the Sports Minister was showering praise on sports policy of Haryana Government, the INLD and Congress MLAs accused the government of neglecting the medal winners.
INLD MLAs Parminder Singh Dhull and Naseem Ahmad alleged that the medal winners in Commonwealth Games were ignored by the State Government and they also held protest as their prize money was proposed to be reduced.
Reacting to this, Anil Vij said that the government will give cash reward and a job of HCS/HPS to medal winners as per its sports policy.
Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also attacked the State Government saying that its behavior towards sportspersons is condemnable.
Earlier, CLP leader Kiran Choudhry and MLA Karan Singh Dalal raised objection on the statement of the Sports Minister and said that such issues should be raised during the zero hour.