As Congress MLAs sleep on the floor of assembly hall, House adjourned sine die on second day of monsoon session
As Congress MLAs sleep on the floor of assembly hall, House adjourned sine die on second day of monsoon session
S.M.A.KAZMI
Dehradun, Aug 20
In an unprecedented event in Uttarakhand, opposition Congress legislators slept on the floor of the state assembly hall at Gairsain during the monsoon session last night in protest against the decision of the Speaker to allow them a discussion on alleged deterioration of law and order in the state. Unable to get a favourable response from the chair, Congress legislators sat in the well of the house and even slept on the floor refusing to leave the well till their demands were met.
As the ruckus continued on the second day today with opposition legislators continued their protest in the well of the house, Speaker Ritu Khanduri in the afternoon announced adjournment of the house sine die. The monsoon session which started on April 19 was to continue till April 22, 2025
Unruly scenes were witnessed as the session started on August 19 with opposition Congress leaders trooping into the well off the House in support of their demands. The house was adjourned many times on the first day but the Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami got the supplementary budget of Rs. 5135 crore and nine other bills including Uttarakhand Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025, and Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2025 passed.
Opposition Congress MLAs in Uttarakhand did not allow the House to function on Wednesday. Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya demanded a discussion on law and order situation in the back drop of alleged abduction of panchayat members at gunpoint during Panchayat polls in Nainital and other places. They demanded action against SSP and District Magistrate, Nainital.
Despite requests by the Speaker and the Chief Minister Dhami, Congress MLAs did not budge and charged the state government of protecting and sheltering off criminals and introducing mafia, money and muscle power in state politics.
The Nainital High Court had also taken cognizance of the violence during panchayat polls and gave dressing down to the SSP and the District Magistrate and asked the DGP and Home secretary to appear personally in the matter. The state government has taken action against two policemen in the case.
“We asked for a discussion on panchayat poll violence in different parts of the state under Rule 310 but were not allowed,” charged Yashpal Arya. Chief Minister Dhami said that the government was willing for discussion but opposition members only wanted to create ruckus as they were not interested in serious discussion on burning issues pertaining to issues related with natural disaster.
In protest against the decision of the Speaker Ritu Khanduri to adjourn the House sine die, Leader of opposition Yashpal Arya and Chakrata MLA Pritam Singh announced their resignations from the business advisory committee of the House.
Meanwhile, Suryakant Dhasmana, senior vice-president and organising secretary of Uttarakhand Congress has condemned the state government for its’ failure to discuss the prevailing ground realities of the state and termed the action to adjourn the house sine die as anti-democratic and anti-people. He said that the people of the state feel cheated and disappointed by the state government.
