For the second consecutive day on Thursday, the issue of domicile certificates rocked the winter session of Uttarakhand Assembly with the Opposition Congress and the BSP demanding a discussion on the subject.
The Assembly was adjourned four times amidst slogan shouting by Opposition members. As soon as the proceedings started, Congress and BSP members trooped into the well of the House reiterating their demand for an immediate discussion on the issue of granting domicile and caste certificates. The members also demanded a discussion on the alleged misuse of official machinery in the delimitation of the wards for the forthcoming panchayat elections.
Opposition members charged that people belonging to Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and poorer sections of the society were being denied domicile certificate by the administration on the instructions of the State Government.
“A large number of students have been denied admission in professional colleges since they failed to provide domicile and caste certificates,” said Qazi Nizamuddin, BSP legislator. Speaker Harbans Kapoor adjourned the House till 3 pm amidst slogan shouting.
Mohammad Shahzad, leader of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the House, said the BJP Government had made the process of getting domicile certificates stringent and as a result many were unable to get their caste certificate for availing the benefits during admission to educational institutions and for getting jobs.
“The government was unwilling to discuss the issue in the House and wants to skirt it,” said Harak Singh Rawat, chief of Congress Legislature Party.