Cong brings breach of privilege motion against Valtoha - Hindustan Times
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Cong brings breach of privilege motion against Valtoha

Hindustan Times | ByManpreet Randhawa, Chandigarh
Dec 24, 2014 10:13 PM IST

The Punjab Congress on Wednesday brought a breach of privilege motion against SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha which Vidhan Sabha speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal rejected outright, saying the motion reached his office late and without giving a prior notice.

The Punjab Congress on Wednesday brought a breach of privilege motion against SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha which Vidhan Sabha speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal rejected outright, saying the motion reached his office late and without giving a prior notice.

As soon as the question hour session ended, Congress Legislature Party leader Sunil Jakhar sought time from the speaker for the zero hour to discuss important matter concerning the state on the floor of the house.
Before Jakhar could move the privilege motion, the speaker said he had already received it in his office and would want to decide on it first.

“I thought you would bring it after the zero hour, but since you have brought it now I have to decide about it immediately,” said the speaker.

“I received the notice of breach of privilege motion against MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha. According to rules, a member wishing to raise a question of privilege will give notice in writing to the Vidhan Sabha secretary before the commencement of the sitting on the day the question is proposed to be raised. Since it reached my office at 10.30 am when the session was in progress, I reject the motion,” the speaker told the House.

Jakhar later disclosed the content of the motion addressed to the speaker, which read, “I would like to remind you that a privilege motion was moved against me for bringing a Dalit girl in Vidhan Sabha and compromising the security of the members. Now, a member of the House has professed on the floor of the house to be a terrorist, this presents a grave breach of security of the House. This being a serious breach of privilege of the House, I move this notice against Virsa Singh Valtoha and request you to refer it to the committee on privilege for further action.”

Earlier, Jakhar took on BJP minister Madan Mohan Mittal for terming his behaviour and that of members of the Congress like that of ‘dangar’ (cattle). “Since he (Mittal) was a colleague of my father’s, I would not want to bring a breach of privilege motion against him,” said Jakhar.

When the speaker told Jakhar not to use unparliamentary language in the House, Jakhar replied that it was Mittal who had used the word on Tuesday, which was not even expunged.

The speaker said he might not have heard the word amid commotion in the house but would get it expunged.

Speaker, Jakhar lock horns over Modi

When Jakhar referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Modi saab, the speaker told him to refer to him as the prime minister. Jakhar replied, “Is there anything unparliamentary about it? If you find it so, kindly expunge it.” The speaker said that as the prime minister was not present in the house, he should not be addressed by name.

Jakhar on kabaddi and Pakistan

Jakhar also referred to deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal saying how he on Tuesday had asked the former if he was a supporter of Pakistan when he mentioned about the controversial referring of the India-Pakistan kabaddi match played at Badal village.

“Was it a crime to ask for a fair play? Ulta chor kotwal ko dante. Anarkali street te golgappe, jalebian te gulcharre tussi udao, te ilzam mere te lao Do you remember Maluka saab, how the entire cabinet was roaming on the Anarkali street enjoying the hospitality of the Pakistan government. Did you also go?” asked Jakhar.

‘Valtoha helped Majithia’

Jakhar said Valtoha had set an example of friendship in the House. “Like a true Punjabi, Valtoha for his friend’s sake had put his political career at stake by deflecting the attention of the House from Majithia. And while doing so, Valtoha called himself a terrorist. Whether you (speaker) reject or accept the motion against him is not a cause of worry. The more serious issue is that Valtoha had admitted that he had got training in Pakistan,” Jakhar said.

Cong wants to hog limelight: Badal

Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal got up amid noise and told Jakhar that there was a limit to everything. “Valtoha has already apologised. I also personally went to the members of the Congress to persuade them. I think they have only one agenda -- to hog the media headlines and to defame us. You have brought the no-confidence motion against us, which was defeated in the House. You did not allow me to speak. Even during question hour, you kept shouting. Now the matter is over. What more do you want against Valtoha? You should help in carrying on the business of the House. Even on Tuesday, you wasted the entire time of the house. It was for the first time that the leader of the House was not allowed to speak on the no-confidence motion. Please allow the House to work. But I know you will not heed my advice,” Badal said.

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