Dharmshala (Tapovan): Winter Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly ended in chaos, with the opposition protesting and shouting slogans as Speaker BB Butail disallowed a discussion on corruption, something that was the scheduled business for the day.
Failing to bring order to the house, later the speaker adjourned the house sine-die as it failed to transact any meaningful business for the day.
BJP member Ravinder Singh Ravi was on his feet as soon as the Speaker opened the house for taking up the days listed business. He asked the chair about the ruling given on 1st December to his notice about holding of a discussion on corruption issues, something that had prominently appeared in an English daily.
Speaker Butail said that in accordance with his promise, he would allow a discussion but after having amended the motion to remove issues that were sub judice from it.
The opposition declined to accept the speakers ruling and started to protest. The Speaker insisted that he was sticking to his promise and a discussion would be permitted under Rule 130, after the question hour.
With the speaker not relenting, the agitated opposition began to protest by shouting slogans, saying that the speaker was going back on his promise under pressure from the treasury benches.
Taking the floor, opposition leader Prem Kumar Dhumal called it a breach of trust on the part of the chair.
The speaker ruled that he would not allow any discussion on a issue which was sub judice.
Defending the speaker’s action in amending the rule under which a discussion on corruption could be taken up, parliamentary affairs minister Mukhesh Agnihotri quoted from the rule book asserting that the speaker was right in making an amendment to the notice given by the member.
Slogan shouting from the opposition continued to disrupt the proceedings. Soon the treasury members started shouting counter slogans.
With the house witnessing the sloganeering match, the opposition trooped into the well.
Failing to control the proceedings, Speaker Butail adjourned the house sine-die in the chaos
Mohan Verma is a seasoned journalist, with more than a decade of experience of active reporting for news agencies and fast paced online media.
