Having in its possession handful of ammunitions just ahead of the Budget session starting on Wednesday, the Opposition parties showed their teeth during and after the all-party meeting called by Speaker Dinesh Oraon on Monday. JMM along with the Congress did not hide their intentions to raise controversies shrouding both the top bureaucrats in the State.
Talking about strategy of the party JMM executive president and leader of Opposition in the House Hemant Soren did not mince his words. “There are several issues with us to corner the Government. It is up to the Government of the day to spearhead conduct of the House but to do that their hands should be clean enough,” said Soren after the all party meeting.
Similar were the views of the Congress legislature Party leader Alamgir Alam, who at the same time, expressed his commitment towards peaceful continuation of the proceeding.
“We are not in favour of disrupting the House since all of us as MlAs have to raise concerns from our voters. But if the Government is silent over crucial issues then we are forced to raise our voice. looking at the facts already in pubic domain, the Chief Minister should have removed the Chief Secretary and the DGP from their posts,” said the Congress leader.
Chief Secretary Rajbala Verma has been asked to clear her position in the Fodder Scam case, while the State police chief DK Pandey is facing ire on his alleged role in suppressing probe into the Bakoria encounter case.
Nevertheless Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Roy, who had written to the Chief Minister prompting him to ask explanation from the Chief Secretary, sounded balanced on the controversy.
“They (Opposition) have been doing this for so long. We have seen sessions after sessions getting wasted. Now they are talking about the recent controversy. The Chief Minister has already asked the Chief Secretary to clarify and I think everyone should wait till the time is given for the reply,” said Roy answering to query.
Besides, the Opposition parties during the all party meet demanded for separate time to discuss the budgetary allocations made to important Departments. “We want that important departments like energy, education, healthcare, agriculture etc are given sufficient time for discussion so that we all can express our views. It has been decided that the issue would be discussed and decided in the Business Advisory Committee meeting on January 17,” said Alam.
As per schedule, Governor Droupadi Murmu would open the proceeding of the Session with inaugural address which would later on see third Supplementary Budget and Annual Budget for 2018-19 coming and passed during the 15 days of business.