‘Protective’ Rage
An MlA erupting in anger in the Assembly is a common sight. But an MlA’s ‘protective’ spouse throwing a murder threat to another MlA and that too within the Assembly premises-at the gallery- is something that one rarely comes across. And this is what has happened in the Uttarakhand Assembly during the budget session. What happened is that some MlAs while chilling out in the gallery threw some humorous comments at an MlA who is not new to the House. Though the MlA pretended to be impassive the spouse turned livid with anger. While fuming with rage, the spouse pointed trembling fingers at an MlA who was amusing himself at the expense of other members of the House and said that the spouse could bump off anybody, including an MlA, and even his body would not be traced. The moments of light-hearted chitter-chatter turning into those of theatrics, silence ensued. But after the heat cooled down a question was heard doing its rounds in the stunned gallery why the spouse had been following the lawmaker even in the House like a zealot.
Boozeless Boredom
The State Government having imposed time restriction on the sale of liquor in the hills, its ripple is being heard in the Assembly too during the budget session. With the session running late daily, the treasury bench MlAs, particularly from the hills, are a frustrated lot. They are confiding that they are in queer position, unable as they are to slam the government for its wrong decisions. What they rue is that the House continuing till the late hours of the night, they are unable to booze with the booze vends getting closed when they would return to where they stay, exhausted with the day’s tiring rounds of legislative goings- on. They are nearly unanimous in their view that such vends in the hills should be allowed to remain open at least till 9 pm instead of the current 6 pm. And the lawmakers cutting across the party lines are viewing the matter in the same vein. However, neither the opposition nor the ruling party MlAs can unlock their anguished heart in the House as they fear to incur the wrath of the Nari Shakti.