Haryana Assembly takes up no-confidence motion moved by Cong against Saini govt

Chandigarh, Dec 19 (PTI) The Haryana Assembly on Friday took up a motion of no confidence moved by the Congress against the BJP government in the state, with Speaker Harvinder Kalyan reserving two hours for discussions on it.

The speaker on Thursday informed the House that he has admitted the notice of the no-confidence motion and scheduled a debate on it for Friday.

This is the first no-confidence motion brought by the Congress against the present government led by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, though the grand old party had twice brought the motion during the previous terms of the government led by then-chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, which were defeated.

The Congress has accused the Haryana government of failing on all fronts "due to its anti-people policies and weak management”.

“The government has lost the trust of every section of the state's population. Through its various systems, this government has transformed 'Loktantra' into 'Tantralok',” the Congress alleged.

It added that the “insensitive” and “unresponsive” government has lost people's confidence.

“Due to the government's tunnel vision, the state is rapidly and relentlessly hurtling towards a dark, hellish abyss of crime, drug abuse, unemployment, illiteracy, inequality, and environmental degradation” the Congress claimed.

The BJP has 48 MLAs in the House, including the speaker, the Congress 37, the INLD 2, while three Independents support the ruling party.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Saini took a swipe at the Congress, asking why its leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda did not sign the no-confidence motion, evoking a sharp reaction from the Congress members who rushed to the Well of the House raising slogans.

Saini also reminded Hooda that on Thursday, the opening day of the Winter Session, he had welcomed him as the leader of the opposition, to which he also reciprocated, but what came as a surprise a few hours later was that the Congress brought the no-confidence motion.

On not finding Hooda's signature on the motion, Saini said perhaps he does not consider himself the leader of the opposition.

The motion moved by the Congress alleged that the ruling party seized power through unconstitutional methods and by stealing votes through inducements. This government was not formed with people's trust, it alleged.

The Congress also alleged that the state's educated youth were suffering from unemployment and risking their lives by migrating abroad in search of livelihood.

The people of Haryana want to get rid of the current government immediately, the motion moved by the Congress claimed. PTI SUN VSD ARI ARI