Shimla: Demanding a CBI inquiry into a set of charges that the congress has put together against the Prem Kumar Dhumal led BJP state government and was submitted to President of India recently, the entire opposition staged a walkout on the opening day of the monsoon session here.
For a lull before the storm, the house functioned normally during the opening hour as legislators paid tribute to 3 former members of the house who died during the intervening period since the budget session.
With the entire question hour taken up in paying tributes, no question was answered on the floor of the house.
Immediately after the opening hour, leader of the opposition Vidya Stokes was on her feet pointing out that governance in the state was in a pathetic state and Congress had submitted a charge sheet on corruption in Himachal to the President.
Stokes asked the house to take cognizance of the charges leveled by the opposition and demand that an inquiry be instituted.
Treasury benches objected to the opposition raising an issue for which no notice had been served in the house.
Speaker Tulsi Ram intervened and pointed out that the opposition had not placed any notice before the chair to demand a discussion on the subject.
However, he permitted congress leader Kaul Singh to make his point.
The Congress leader, who only a day ago was removed as state party president, let the speaker know that five member committee had been appointed by the party which has put together a charge sheet that was submitted to the president.
He said that Congress demands a CBI inquiry into the charges leveled.
Disallowing it, the speaker asked the leader of the house, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to present the business for the week which was objected to by the opposition by raising slogans and staging a walkout.
Photo: Amit
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.