Himachal Assembly adjourned after heated exchanges, sloganeering over 'unparliamentary words'

Shimla, Aug 26 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday witnessed heated exchanges over 'unparliamentary words', which led to Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania adjourning the House amid sloganeering and uproarious scenes.

The conflict began when Vipin Singh Parmar from the BJP raised concerns about Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi allegedly using 'unparliamentary language' against the Leader of the Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur. This dispute escalated into a heated argument between Parmar and Negi, prompting the speaker to adjourn the House until lunch.

Negi pointed out that there was a specific procedure for asking questions under Rule 54, which governs the conduct of business. He emphasised that questions not asked according to this procedure would not be part of the official proceedings. In response, Parmar claimed that the minister was attempting to direct the chair.

Negi also urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to investigate the allegations of corruption pertaining to the previous BJP government.

The speaker interjected, stating that the term 'corruption' should not be used without evidence and warned that charges made by MLAs that violate the rules and disrupt the House atmosphere would not be recorded. He reiterated his commitment to maintaining order according to the rules.

Intervening in the matter, the chief minister urged the speaker not to expunge his comments regarding concessions offered by the previous BJP administration, asserting that the government has proof of these claims.

Objecting to the chief minister's remarks, Thakur argued that the ruling party's accusations of the previous BJP government "selling Himachal" were unfounded and should be expunged. He noted that various state governments have provided incentives and special packages to attract investment.

Additionally, the speaker ruled that, henceforth, MLAs would not be allowed to post clippings of their speeches on social media, and unedited videos would not be issued.

Rejecting a privilege notice from Sudhir Sharma (BJP) against the chief minister, the speaker noted that no supporting records or evidence were included with the Demi Official letter (DO).

Later, Sharma informed the media that he plans to resubmit the notice in the House on Wednesday, as he believes incorrect figures are being presented. PTI BPL MPL MPL