Cong stages walk-out; demands apology

In the walk-out, the Congress not only displayed signs of unanimity in absence of CLP leader Virbhadra Singh but caught the government napping on a sensitive issue.

The development came immediately after the question hour when Rangila Ram Rao, Chief Whip of Congress Legislature Party drew attention of the House towards information given in the Assembly by the CM yesterday — reports of which were also published in the newspapers today. He claimed that in his reply to a question, Dhumal had specifically claimed that commission paid by the previous government for raising loans, was in accordance with norms and rates fixed by RBI for this purpose.

Rao maintained that the CM’s reply had vindicated the Congress stand that no irregularity had been committed in raising of loans or payment of the service charges (commission). He sought an apology from the BJP for its false propaganda, both within and outside the House. He received support from J. B. L. Khachi, who waved a copy of the CM’s written reply and asked “Can the chief minister retract from his earlier statement ? ”.

Intervening on the matter, Dhumal sought to pacify the agitated Congress members saying that reporting in a section of Press, covers only a part-reply but the reply which he had given in the Assembly contained all details on the loans and payment of commission. He informed Speaker Gulab Singh Thakur that the government had already given a notice to the Assembly Secretariate to seek its permission to make a separate statement on the issue and clarify the position.

Dhumal remained firm on his stand that previous Congress government had paid commission of crores in the loans raised by it through HP State Electricity Board, other corporations and state cooperative bank. He recalled that NABARD had written a letter to the government raising its objections on payment of “brokerage” (dalali) of Rs 90 lakh on the loans of Rs 90 crore raised by the government. He declared that the government was preparing a white paper on the whole issue and everything would become clear soon.

The House continued to witness noisy scenes as Congress members remained adamant on their demands. Former chief minister Ram Lal Thakur who was in command (in absence of Virbhadra Singh), insisted that the government must tender an apology. He claimed that Congress had paid a heavy price in the assembly elections because of confusion created by the BJP’s repeated statements on payment of commission.

Thakur said the reply given by Dhumal in the House yesterday was complete, clear and specific and needed no further explanation. “From the reply it had become clear that the BJP had misled the people and created an impression that the previous government had committed grave irregularities and promoted commission-culture,” he alleged.

As the speaker counselled the Congress members to wait for Dhumal’s statement, the Opposition refused to oblige and left the House. Minister in charge of Parliamentary Affairs J. P. Nadda, later condemned the Congress action and accused it of trying to derive political mileage out of a non-issue. Rikhi Ram Kaundal, BJP MLA also condemned the Congress walk-out.

Later, talking to media persons, the Chief Minister rejected the Congress demand for an apology and declared that all facts would be placed before the House tomorrow. He also denied that the government had given an “clean-chit” to the Virbhadra Singh government.

Ram Lal Thakur, who also briefed media persons said his party would continue to insist on apology and if the CM tried to contradict the reply given in the House, the Congress would move a motion for breach of privilege.

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