Jind sexual abuse case: House panel, not High Court, to probe MLA’s role in ‘shielding’ principal

Geetanjali Gayatri

Chandigarh, December 19

Deciding not to refer the allegations of shielding the then Jind school principal, accused of sexual harassment, to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Vidhan Sabha passed a resolution accepting the recommendations of an in-House probe, even as it dropped the privilege motion against Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala.

Bhukkal ‘protected’ principal in 2005, 2012

While Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal raised the issue of harassment of girls by the Jind and Kaithal principals on the first day of the session, the Deputy CM accused her of “protecting” the Jind principal in 2005 and in 2012, alleging that a panchayat was held at her Jhajjar house to strike a compromise and prevent a DDR on similar allegations being converted into an FIR

The resolution was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar on the last day of the winter session of the House here today. Later, the Speaker said a committee under Gujjar would look into the allegations of “shielding” the principal on two occasions —in 2005 and 2012 — made by Dushyant Chautala against the then Education Minister, Geeta Bhukkal, who is a sitting MLA. The privilege motion of the Congress against the Deputy CM was dropped since the inquiry would bring out the facts in the case.

Though INLD’s lone MLA, Abhay Chautala, objected to the decision of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) and said it “lowered the prestige of the House” since the members had “unanimously” agreed to get the allegations probed by a sitting HC judge, he was overruled after he had a heated exchange with Urban Local Bodies Minister Kamal Gupta.

Earlier, the BAC met under the chairmanship of Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and recommended the constitution of a committee under the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, and said the names of the other two members would be given by the Congress and the JJP.

The issues dominated the proceedings on all three days of the session. While Bhukkal raised the issue of harassment of girl students by the Jind and Kaithal principals on the first day, the Deputy CM accused her of “protecting” the Jind principal in 2005 and in 2012, while alleging that a panchayat was held at her Jhajjar house to strike a compromise and prevent a DDR on similar allegations being converted into an FIR.

Yesterday, the Congress opposed the idea of referring the matter to an HC judge and insisted on an in-House probe. The chief whip of the Congress, BB Batra, also cited a provision under the Constitution that allowed freedom of speech in Parliament and no member shall be liable to any proceedings for something said in the House, after which the CM decided to refer the matter to the BAC.