Demanding a debate during the Question Hour on the issue of assault on Almora Zila Panchayat member Hansa Negi, who was fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sushila Tiwari Medical College, Haldwani, the Opposition BJP placed a no-work motion (Kam Roko Prastav) in the Assembly.
The State’s Budget was slated to be presented in the Assembly on Monday. They said the debate was the need of the hour, given the fact that the injured has recorded his statement before a magistrate in the hospital. The BJP members said ,as per the information they have received from their sources, the Chief Minister’s industrial adviser Ranjit Singh Rawat had given the contract to kill the panchayat member.
Following the pressure put by the Opposition MlAs, who walked out from the Vidhan Sabha before the lunch recess, the Treasury Bench agreed to have the issue discussed while saying that the MlA from the area where the incident had occurred Surendra Singh Jeena would speak on it alone. CM Harish Rawat said the State Government is ready for any inquiry in accordance with the Opposition’s wish. Jeena said the Government should either go for a CBI probe or one by a sitting High Court judge.
Jeena alleged that according to the victim’s statement, he had been hacked thrice with his liver sustaining the maximum number of stabs. He said Negi had escaped to a nearby farm with the assistance of the local people.
later, he was taken to a medical centre at Ramnagar for treatment. Currently, he is being treated at Sushila Tiwari Medical College and Hospital, Haldwani. However, the Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal said with no precedent of such a case figuring in the Question Hour, the matter might be discussed after the Question Hour was over. The Opposition acquiesced and allowed the House to go on with the Question Hour.
Immediately after the Question Hour was over, the Opposition demanded debate on the matter under Section 310. The Speaker, however, insisted the case be taken up under Section 58. But the Opposition refused to budge. They trooped into the well of the House instead.
The House facing pandemonium, the Treasury Bench hurried through the routine business. The Speaker adjourned the House till 3 pm. Thereafter, waving picture of Negi with his belly tumbling out due to repeated dagger stabs, the leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt alleged that law and order situation has crumbled down under Harish Rawat regime. The criminals are on the prowl knowing that the Government is at their beck and call.
The Speaker sticking to his gun on the issue of the Section under which the matter was to be taken up sparked protest from the Opposition members. Unruly scenes ensued in the House. Bhatt alleged that the person who had given the murder contract to bump off Negi was enjoying State Cabinet Minster status. Now the Government is trying to throttle their voice inside the house, he added. While interacting with media persons, the CM said the person over whom the Opposition is going hammer and tongs against the State Government had a case of booth capturing tagged to him.
BJP had named him in the case. Now, they are flaunting empathy for the same person. If you scan his records you will find he figures in other cases as well, he said. Rubbishing the BJP charge on the law and order front, the CM said they are committed to maintaining peace in the State. Previously, when BJP was in power they triggered riots in Haridwar.
“What had happened in Udham Singh NagarIJ An unruly mob had torched the Kaladungi police station. Even a BJP Minister had exerted his muscle to have criminals released from police station. An MlA had torn uniform of a police man,” he added.
Rawat further said he was citing these heinous instances not to play down his responsibility as the CM. My conscience pricks whenever such incidents happen, he added. So far, police record is not that bad. They cracked all the murder cases except the one that occurred in Ferupur, Haridwar where a girl was raped and murdered. We have, however, handed over the case to CBI. Its report is now awaited.
CM further said police have nailed the accused of the case. law will take its own course. Asked whether the Opposition would disrupt the proceedings during Budget presentation, the CM said there is no precedent of the Budget speech being disrupted on a law and order issue. We hope things would not get to such a pass, the CM added.