Adamant on debate on law, order, BJP walks out

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 22

Adamant on holding a debate on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state in the wake of rape and murder of the Kotkhai minor girl, Opposition BJP today disrupted proceedings on the opening day of the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha, compelling the Speaker to adjourn the house.

It was immediately after the house had paid obituary to former Nahan MLA Sadanand Chauhan, who passed away recently, that Chief Whip of the BJP Suresh Bhardwaj urged the Speaker to allow a debate on the deteriorating law and order situation for which some legislators had moved an adjournment motion under Rule 67.

“This government has failed to protect the life and property of the people so we demand that all business for the day should be suspended and discussion be held,” Bhardwaj urged.

Attempts by the Speaker to diffuse the situation by holding talks with both ruling and treasury bench members in his chamber after adjourning the house briefly at 11.45 am failed as BJP members insisted on the debate under Rule 67. Even as the Speaker directed that business be taken up, BJP legislators trouped to the well of the house and raised slogans, “Gudia hum sharminda hain, tere katil zinda hain” and against the forest, land and liquor mafia active in the state.

Bhardwaj said the situation was very worrisome as it was not just one Kotkhai rape incident but murders and rapes in Solan, Rohru, Kullu and Tissa, which warranted a debate. He added that the custodial death of one of the accused in police station had further deepened the mystery of the Kotkhai case. BJP MLAs alleged direct involvement of the Chief Minister in the case and said that efforts were made to shield the culprits which was obvious from the manner in which pictures of four accused loaded on CM’s Facebook account and later removed.

While BJP legislators, including Jai Ram Thakur, Rajiv Bindal, Ravinder Ravi and Randhir Sharma urged the Speaker BBL Butail to allow a debate, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Agnihotri contended that a debate could not be allowed as the matter was sub judice. Butail too urged the Opposition members who were on their feet to give him time to seek a reply from the government and gather more details before time and date for the debate could be fixed.

Randhir said that the debate was not on one incident but about the various crimes that were taking place all over. Finally, Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister PK Dhumal tried to reason with the Speaker that there can be no other important business for the house than discuss how life and property of the citizens can be protected. “Under Rule 67, no reply is sought and the notices have been moved as per the rules and procedures of the house,” Dhumal insisted. Dhumal even suggested that the Speaker could adjourn the house and hold a meeting in his chamber to discuss the issue to which even the ruling benches agreed.

There was complete pandemonium in the house for 20 minutes after the house reassembled. BJP members stood right in front of the benches of the Chief Minister and ministers and raised slogans and later surrounded the podium of the Speaker, forcing him to adjourn the house till tomorrow.