The Budget Session of Haryana Assembly on Wednesday saw an uproar on the slogan of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ raised by Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal, who said the Manohar Lal Khattar government in the state only had this slogan.
During the Question Hour, when a question was being answered, BJP MLA from Ambala city Aseem Goyal claimed that Bhukkal took a dig and mocked the treasury benches by raising slogan of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'.
Members from the treasury bench interrupted the proceedings for mocking at the slogan and shouted slogan of Bharat Mata Ki Jai in the House. After slogan of BJP MLAs, Congress MLAs also raised slogans of Bharat Mata ki Jai.
Pointing at Congress MLAs, Goyal said every Indian raises this slogan and accused them of being ashamed of raising it. As soon as he said this, Congress MLAs Rajendra Singh Joon, Rao Dan Singh and Aftab Ahmed stood up from their seats.
They said that no one has any problem when someone says Bharat Mata ki Jai. "This slogan is not registered for any single party," they said. Goyal started shouting slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' within the House. As Congress MLAs were furious at being dubbed Pakistanis, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta left his seat thrice to calm the rising temper.
Bhukkal and several other Congress MLAs also raised a demand for an apology from Aseem Goyal but it was submerged in the din of the House.
Expressing surprise over the statement of Goyal, senior Congress leader Kiran Choudhary too chanted ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
There was a ruckus in the House for around five to ten minutes. Neither leader of the House chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar nor leader of the opposition and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was present during the commotion.
The controversy erupted again when minister Ranjit Singh Chautala was trying to calm down the members. Chautala said we should not do politics in the case of Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Home Minister Anil Vij said that Bharat Mata is our pride and self-respect, but the opposition legislators have ridiculed the issue.
Congress MLA Mohammad Ilyas shouted slogans of Bharat Mata ki Jai, saying Bharat Mata belongs to him as well as others.