More stops than starts as Rajasthan assembly session is marred by disruptions

Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully said the slogans raised by the MLAs only reminded the BJP of promises the party made before coming to power. The banners were eventually removed, and Question Hour began.

Issues related to farmers dominated Question Hour. Congress MLA Pusarama Godara said there was a shortage of urea in Churu, accusing the government of cheating farmers. Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena countered that Churu had received 2,000 metric tonnes more than before, blaming the global fertiliser crisis on conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. He highlighted 80 seizures, 64 FIRs, and over 400 fertiliser samples tested this year, assuring there would be no shortage of urea or DAP.

The issue of law and order came back to the fore during Zero Hour, which saw Congress MLAs storming into the Well of the House demanding a debate. Questions were raised regarding women’s safety in Jaipur, which drew a sharp rebuttal from the ruling BJP, followed by a back-and-forth between MLAs of both parties. This prompted Speaker Devnani to adjourn the House for lunch.

When the Assembly reconvened, the Fisheries Amendment Bill sparked debate, with Independent MLA Ravindra Singh Bhati warning that penalties for illegal fishing, raised from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000, could burden poor fishermen. The Bill was later passed.

A discussion on the Bill to set up a Rajasthan Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) also witnessed heated exchanges. Senior Congress MLA Shanti Dhariwal accused the government of merely rebranding the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) without investing the allocated Rs 750 crore. Deputy Chief Minister Dr Premchand Bairwa shot back with a jibe, promising Dhariwal “chyawanprash” for better memory, and assured the House that RIMS would be developed as a premier autonomous institute.