The Government had a tough time inside and outside the Assembly on Monday when the united Opposition led by the JMM stalled the proceedings for the day. The members from the JMM along with JVM and Congress demanded investigation into the reported ‘sting operation’ related to the Rajya Sabha poll and alleged racial slur made against Hemant Soren in the recorded conversation.
Having moved an Adjournment Motion to discuss the controversy threadbare, the Opposition members trooped into the well as soon as the House resumed for the Question Hour in the morning. legislators shouting slogans and displaying placards in the support of their demand made futile every attempt of Speaker Dinesh Oraon to continue with the all important Question Hour that was to be followed by CM’s Question Hour.
However, not allowed to present the facts inside, the Government justified its silence on the controversy. Replying to reporters’ question, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Roy said the Opposition made a mistake by approaching the police.
“The Opposition is saying to probe the allegations. If they had confidence in the Assembly they should not have taken it to the police. As now the matter is with the police how come the Government can interfere into thatIJ The police would act based on the complaint lodged,” said Roy.
Earlier, the issue first raised in the House by leader of the Opposition Hemant Soren who narrated the incident of his visiting SC/ST police station on Sunday evening to lodge an FIR against ADG Anurag Gupta.
“It is worrying that my complaint was not registered properly and I was not given copy of the FIR. A senior officer in the Government has made racial comment not only against me but also against entire tribal society and there is no reaction coming up,” said the JMM leader.
Thereafter, other Opposition legislators came into the well and demand for proper action, including a CBI probe into the claimed ‘sting’. The Speaker tried to pacify the members but his request to Soren to take the members back to their seats yielded nothing.
Amid the sloganeering and protest, Rural Development Minister Neelkant Singh Munda tried to present the Government’s perspective into the controversy. “Sanha is registered with the police and the Government has already taken cognizance of the matter. All possible action, including lodging an FIR would be taken into consideration,” said Munda.
Notwithstanding the reply, none of the members moved that forced the Speaker to adjourn the proceeding till 12.10 pm. However, a similar scene continued when the House met again in the afternoon. The stalemate left no other option before the Speaker but to direct Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Roy to lay 1st Supplementary Budget of Rs 4382.49 crore and adjourned the House for the day.
Similar scenes were awaiting the Government outside where it found legislators Ramchandra Sahis and Vikas Munda from its ally AJSU raking up controversial deaths of Inspector Umesh Kachchap and tribal Rupesh Swansi and greater reservation for OBCs in the State. BSP’s Kushwaha Shivpujan Mehta, who had voted for NDA during the Rajya Sabha poll not long ago, was seen sitting with placard demanding para-teachers’ issue.
And among all the protests, Congress MlA from Badkagaon Nirmala Devi stole the show. She laid down on the staircase right at the entrance of the House protesting against alleged police brutalities and falsely implicating her and her husband Yogender Sao in criminal cases.