M A I N   N E W S

HP House adjourned amid din
Congress blocks proceedings
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 2
The Vidhan Sabha was adjourned today as the Opposition Congress members blocked the proceedings by walking into the well of the House and raising slogans, demanding the resignation of the BJP government headed by Mr P. K. Dhumal.

The Speaker, Thakur Gulab Singh, adjourned the House twice before finally adjourning it for the day as the Congress members refused to relent. The motion of thanks on Governor’s Address could not be moved by the treasury benches amid the din.

The Congress members led by the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh, trooped into the well of the House immediately after question hour when Mr Dhumal stood to lay some papers listed against his name in the business of the House. The Chief Minister laid the Rs 382.38 crore supplementary demands amidst noisy scenes. Nothing was audible in the din.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said the Congress had allowed smooth conduct of the business yesterday as a mark of respect to the Governor, Mr Suraj Bhan, who had come to the Vidhan Sabha to deliver his Address. However, the Dhumal government stood indicted by its own ministers and MLAs who had levelled serious allegations in the wake of which the Chief Minister should resign on moral grounds.

The government had been reduced to a minority with seven legislators, including four ministers, raising a banner of revolt against Mr Dhumal, Mr Virbhadra Singh said.

He said the crisis had further deepened with Mr Ram Lal Markanda, nominee of the Himachal Vikas Congress in the ministry, also submitting his resignation to Mr Sukh Ram and making serious allegations against the Dhumal government.

The treasury benches watched in silence as the Congress members demanded immediate arrest of those ministers against whom an FIR had been registered by the police against the alleged kidnapping of two elected women members of the Kangra Zila Parishad.

The Speaker said he had taken note of the point raised by the Opposition members, but could not force the government to reply.

At this point, Mr Markanda said he had submitted his resignation to the HVC chief, Mr Sukh Ram, and it was up to him to take further action on it.

The Speaker adjourned the House for 30 minutes as the Opposition members remained in the well of the House and blocked the proceedings.

There was pandemonium when the House reassembled and the Congress members raised slogans demanding the ouster of the “government of kidnappers.” They continued raising slogans when the Transport Minister, Mr Vidya Sagar, made a statement on yesterday’s bus accident in which many lives were lost.

Within 10 minutes of having reassembled, the House was again adjourned till after lunch break as the Opposition members continued with sloganeering.

The Speaker finally adjourned the House after lunch break when the Congress members did not relent even when he said the House would lose one of the four days which had been earmarked for a debate on the motion of thanks on Governor’s Address.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr J. P. Nadda, tried to persuade the Opposition members to resume their seats by pointing out that they had made their point. He urged that none be allowed to take the House to ransom.

A Senior Congress legislator, Mr J. B. L. Khachi, took exception to some of his partymen raising slogans even when the Speaker was on his legs and asked them to maintain the decorum of the House.

Thakur Gulab Singh adjourned the House when his pleadings for maintaining order failed.