Ruckus in Himachal assembly over corruption

The Himachal Pradesh assembly was adjourned for the day as members of the treasury and opposition benches virtually came to blows Tuesday following arguments over the opposition Congress’ adjournment notice on corruption.

After more than one hour of slugfest, Speaker Tulsi Ram adjourned the house for the day.

As the house assembled in the morning, Leader of Opposition Vidya Stokes stood up and said that she was not given a chance to speak on her adjournment motion on corruption.

“It was suppression of a democratic right of the opposition,” she said.

As she was speaking, she was frequently disturbed by members of the treasury benches. In the melee, the Congress legislators stood up and started raising slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government.

The Congress legislators rushed towards the speaker’s seat and raised slogans. Even members of the treasury benches started shouting slogans against Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Both the BJP and the Congress legislators, including ministers, very nearly came to blows during the heated exchanges on corruption.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal told reporters that it was unfortunate that assembly proceedings were disrupted. “The opposition are directionless. They were wasting the crucial time of the budget session.”

Stokes said: “As leader of the house, Dhumal has failed to maintain the decorum. Even his entire cabinet, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ravinder Ravi, was raising slogans in the house.”

Pandemonium prevailed in the house Monday also over the assets allegedly acquired by Health Minister Rajeev Bindal and his family since he became a minister in January 2008.