Vij suspended for 'grossly disorderly' conduct
The BJP legislative party leader in Vidhan Sabha Anil Vij was reprimanded and suspended from the House by Speaker Kuldeep Sharma after Vij told education minister Geeta Bhukkal she did not even know a, b, c of the House affairs.
The BJP legislative party leader in Vidhan Sabha Anil Vij was reprimanded and suspended from the House by Speaker Kuldeep Sharma after Vij told education minister Geeta Bhukkal she did not even know a, b, c of the House affairs.
The remark instantly evoked sharp condemnation from the treasury benches, who, led by parliamentary affairs minister Randeep Surjewala, demanded an apology from Vij, which he refused to tender, stating that he had said nothing wrong.
The heated arguments were triggered off when Vij was speaking on the appropriation bill and flaying the ruling Congress government on various accounts. Stating that employees of several departments were agitating, even as there was a dire need to improve the government's functioning. On revenue front too, he held that corruption was galore in the offices and demanded a discipline on the finances.
It was at this point, that Vij held that chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda often made announcements to lure the people without approval of the House. On this, several Congress MLAs including Bhukkal objected to it stating that CM could do it.
On this, Vij snubbed Bhukkal saying that the House was supreme and not the CM, against which Bhukkal insisted the CM could do it. "Aap ko a, b, c, d, bhi nahin pata," Vij, a four-time MLA, said meaning the she did not a thing about the house affairs.
This caused an instant uproar in the House and Bhukkal demanded that Vij should apologise and that too with holding his ears. "Mein aaj apse kaan pakadwa ke maafi mangwaoongi," she said, though Vij insisted he stood by what he said.
The din and heated arguments continued for about 30 minutes with several Congress MLAs, including Shakuntala Khatak, Naresh Sharma, Aftab Ahmed, Kiran Choudhry, Sharda Rathore, supporting Bhukkal and all the BJP MLAs as well as several INLD MLAs, including Ashok Arora and Ram Pal Majra, Vij.
However, when Surjewala brought a motion seeking Vij to come in the well and apologise to Bhukkal for his conduct, Vij refused. When Sharma asked Vij for this, the latter staged a walkout stating that he was being punished just because of Congress' majority, for no fault of his.
On this Hooda stood up to say that House was supreme and now Vij apologised to Bhukkal for his remarks. Vij withdrew his words and was subsequently reprimanded and suspended for the day by Speaker for his 'irresponsible behaviour and grossly disorderly' conduct in the House.
The House also passed a resolution to condemn Vij's conduct and refer it to the privilege committee.
Hooda announces `3,100 MSP for gram
Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday announced to increase the minimum support price of gram (chana) to `3,100 per quintal for the ensuing procurement season.
Hooda made this announcement when an issue concerning implementation of recommendations of Swaminathan Commission was raised in the Vidhan Sabha here.
He said that national agriculture cooperative marketing federation of India (NAFAD) had already accorded approval for the same and state government would procure gram on increased price in the ensuing procurement season.
The Vidhan Sabha also unanimously passed a resolution concerning sending the working group recommendations to Union government for its implementation. Resolution to this effect was also supported by Ashok Arora of main opposition party INLD and its members.