In a repeat of what happened on Monday, the Opposition BJP did not allow the Assembly to take up the Question Hour on Tuesday, the second day of the special Session of the State Assembly now being held at Gairsain in Chamoli district. They demanded the State Government to clear its stance vis-à-vis the mounting demand of Gairsain being declared the permanent capital of Uttarakhand.
Tearing into the State Government, the leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt said the State Government has been playing an ambivalent game on the emotive issue. The Speaker adjourned the House first at 11.10 am till 12.20 pm.
As the House reassembled at 12.20 pm, condolence resolution was passed followed by the supplementary Budget and eight Bills tabled on Monday being passed amidst uproarious scenes. With the Opposition being in no mood to allow the House to proceed, the Speaker adjourned it at 1.30 pm till 3 pm.
As the House re-assembled at 11 am for the second day of the session, the Opposition demanded debate under Section 310 of Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha proceedings on the status of Gairsain in the State Government’s view. The BJP MlAs asked the Government to announce its stand on the demand of Gairsain being declared the permanent capital of the State. Taking a dig at the government, they said they were playing with the sentiments of the people on the emotive issue. The BJP’s belligerence on the matter seemed to have left the Treasury Bench embarrassed. Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, who keeps harping on Gairsain being declared as the permanent capital of Uttarakhand, chose to keep mum. He was reluctant to allow the Opposition to speak on the issue.
Making his party’s stance on the matter clear, Ajay Bhatt said they are for Gairsain being declared as the permanent capital of the State immediately. “The ruling party is keeping the matter hang fire to milk it politically,” he said, adding, “ Gairsain is our soul and our stance on the matter is unambiguous unlike the equivocal stance of the State Government.” He further said the government despite its earlier decision of running the House here for two days had been keeping a stony silence on it.
Not accepting their demand for a debate under Section 310, the Speaker said that the Question Hour should commence. The Opposition remaining unrelenting, he adjourned the House at 11.10 am till12.20 pm. Observers said the decision had saved the Treasury Bench from moments of embarrassment with the ruling party still dithering to announce its final stance on the issue of capital.