No respite for govt ,Cong protest continues

Earlier in the day after the House assembled,the Speaker made a fresh appeal to the Opposition urging it to drop the protests and instead participate in the House deliberations as he had already rejected an adjournment motion since it was not covered by the rules of business and House precedents.

He termed Tuesday’s happenings as a big blot on the image of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly and claimed that the dignity of the August House was dented. He regretted that the CLP leader did not respond positively to his invitation – both verbal and written – to resolve the stalemate after the unruly incidents in the Assembly . “ Despite my best efforts ,I am sorry to say,I did not get the cooperation of the opposition leader”,Tulsi Ram said.

Stokes,however,accused the ruling party MLAs of causing indiscipline and chaos in the House when the Congress members were lodging their protest. “ How can we justify such a hooliganism and condone highly irresponsible behaviour of the treasury benches. It’s our (Cong) democratic right to lodge a protest,and raise our voice against corruption. You (Government ) can’t stop us or bully the opposition MLAs from highlighting rampant corruption .We have sufficient proof on Bindal’s property and corruption. Did you ask us (Congress) to present the proof before giving a clean chit to the minister ?” she said. Stokes added that by rejecting Bindal’s resignation,the chief minister had clearly compromised on the corruption issue.

The CLP leader alleged that when Congress members were raising slogans against Bindal,they were physically pushed,abused and attacked by the BJP MLAs. “ Look how a drama was enacted about injuries caused to BJP MLA Balbir Chaudhary while he was nowhere close to the Congress MLAs at the time of the clash”,she said.

Endorsing Stokes’s stand,PCC president Kaul Singh Thakur said it was the duty of the ruling party to maintain decorum in the House and ensure its smooth functioning.

He accused BJP MLAs of assaulting the Congress members and hurling abuses. The congress will not give-up its fight against corruption till Bindal is dropped ,he declared.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ravinder Ravi on the other hand,accused the Congress of lowering the dignity of the House,despite,he added,the party having three senior leaders,who had served as Speakers. Ravi further said that it was regrettable that the Congress leader Vidya Stokes did not come for meeting at the Speaker’s instance to resolve the stalemate. “ After having been wiped out in the recent elections,the Congress is trying to get some mileage by raising the corruption issue at the fag end of the BJP’s four-year rule”,he said.

Separate chargesheet against Bindal: Bali

Shimla: Opposition Congress on Wednesday announced that its corruption chargesheet against the BJP government will be released by the month end,but before that,a separate chargesheet will be released to “expose” Health Minister Rajeev Bindal.

“The Bindal issue has been become important for the party. We have decided to come up with a separate chargesheet on him. A decision was taken in this regard on Tuesday after Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal gave Bindal a chit on corruption charges,” said G S Bali,who heads the party’s committee on chargesheet.

Balbir files complaint

Shimla: BJP MLA Balbir Chaudhary,who on Tuesday had accused the Congress legislator Mukesh Agnihotri of manhandling and assaulting him,lodged a complaint with Speaker Tulsi Ram seeking action against Agnihotri on Wednesday. Chaudhary said the incident left him with fractures on two fingers in his right hand. Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had also paraded the injured MLA before the media on Tuesday. Secretary of the Vidhan Sabha,Goverdhan Singh confirmed that the BJP MLA had filed a complaint against Agnihotri relating to breach of privilege. “ The Speaker may order an inquiry or refer the issue to the House committee on the subject”,he said.