CHANDIGARH, Jan 29: Walkout by the main opposition party in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and heated exchanges over the law and order situation marked the debate on the Governor's address in the Haryana assembly session here today. The walkout came shortly after the Speaker asked former Home Minister, Sampat Singh of INLD to quickly sum up his arguments and conclude his speech. He continued for some time and when the Speaker asked the Congress leader Kartar Devi to begin her arguments, the INLD staged a walkout with Sampat Singh alleging that he was about to conclude his speech and was not being allowed to do so.His speech was however marked by numerous interruptions by the ruling party members who continuously raised objections on the charges made by Sampat Singh. When the Speaker stated that Sampat Singh had already spoken for an hour and a half, he alleged that most of the time had been taken away by the ruling party members and that he had been denied a proper opportunity. Drama was also witnessed when he quoted some statistics which were contested by the Haryana Irrigation Minister, Harsh Kumar, who even offered to resign in case the data was true.Talking about the power scenario in the state, Sampat Singh alleged that the state government would now have to take over the liabilities in the power sector and the present World Bank formula amounted to privatisation.The leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party, Kartar Devi was also critical of the law and order situation in the state. The claims of the uniterrupted 24 hour power supply by the ruling government were also challenged by her. The long pending completion of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal in Punjab also figured in the house.Irrigation minister Harsh Kumar, however, blamed the previous Congress and Devi Lal governments for not paying adequate attention in this regard. He stated that the Bansi Lal government had taken up the river waters issue to the Supreme Court and in the last hearing held on January 20, the Punjab Government had sought six weeks time to file its reply.Satvinder Singh Rana alleged that jobs in the state were being cornered by people from one district, a statement which was hotly contested by the ruling party members.
