Chaos in Haryana assembly as Congress MLAs allege manhandling

Opposition forces two adjournments over cops preventing entry with placards; eight Congress MLAs suspended for the day, leading to a walkout

The opening sitting of the Haryana assembly’s three-day monsoon session on Thursday witnessed unruly scenes for two-and-a-half hours after Congress alleged that its legislators were “heckled and humiliated” by security personnel at the vidhan sabha’s entrance, forcing assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan to adjourn the House twice for a combined 52 minutes.

Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, along with other Congress MLAs, being stopped at the assembly entrance, in Chandigarh on Thursday. (Keshav Singh/HT)

Barring the first few minutes of the proceedings, when the House assembled at 11am and completed the obituary references with due decorum and the final hour before the House was adjourned at 2.25pm till Monday, the Congress paralysed proceedings during the major part of the sitting.

Finally, order was restored after the Speaker suspended eight Congress legislators for the day, prompting the Opposition party to stage a noisy walkout at 1.25pm–more than two hours after the ruckus began.

Before the assembly proceedings began, Congress MLAs-led by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and carrying placards and raising anti-government slogans marched towards Haryana vidhan sabha secretariat security room, the first entry point to the assembly.

Dressed in black and carrying placards highlighting the issues they planned to raise during the session, the Congress MLAs were stopped at the first security gate, where security personnel said placards were not allowed inside the House. A war of words followed and soon escalated into a melee.

“Neither the LoP nor any other opposition member was insulted or stopped from entering the House,” Saini said, rejecting Congress’ allegations of being subjected to humiliation.

“No one misbehaved with the Congress members...they were allowed to enter the House with full respect...falsehood is always Congress’ agenda...its leaders make false statements and level allegations...this is all they have to offer,” said Saini.

How ruckus began

After the tussle and scuffle outside the House, CLP leader Hooda and other Congress MLAs entered the House after the National Song, Vande Mataram, was sung to mark the beginning of the session.

Soon after the House observed a two-minute silence following obituary references to remember prominent persons who had died in recent months, veteran Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian informed the Speaker that security personnel heckled him while entering the House. Hooda backed Kadian’s contention as other Congress MLAs stood up and protested, alleging they were “manhandled and ill-treated”. “How can anyone stop us from entering the assembly premises,” Congress MLAs asked, even as the Speaker said he wanted to watch the videos first to ascertain what had actually happened.

“We have never seen such a behaviour (by cops)...this is unprecedented,” Hooda said. “We were humiliated,” said other Congress MLAs as din continued.

Within 30 minutes of the House assembling, the Speaker adjourned it for 20 minutes at 11.30am. The Question Hour was thus washed out. After the first adjournment, as members came back, the Speaker said security personnel objected to Congress MLAs coming with placards. He assured that appropriate action will be taken if the dignity of any member was violated.

“We were heckled even after we handed over the placards to cops,” Kadian said, adding, “A scuffle took place. We were manhandled.”

Parliamentary affairs minister Mahipal Dhanda interjected, saying: “Congress members were out of control. Cops say Congress leaders retaliated by hitting them with their elbows.”

Amid allegations and counter allegations, the CM said that the Congress was misleading the House. “Congress is telling lies and misleading the House,” Saini said, advising the Speaker to invite Congress members to his chamber and watch the videos to ascertain the truth.

Congress refused to relent and the Speaker adjourned the House for the second time at 11.58pm till 12.30pm. Before the adjournment, he invited two-three members each of Congress and BJP to his chamber to watch the videos and find out what had happened.

“It would have been better had you (Congress) come to my chamber to see the video,” the Speaker said when the House reassembled after the second adjournment.

As Congress members continued to disrupt proceedings, cabinet minister Anil Vij urged the Speaker to run the video in question in the House. “House has the right to know what the truth is,” Vij said. The Speaker, however, said rules do not allow videos to be played in the House.

“The decorum of the House is being destroyed. The LoP is seen in the video hitting a cop with his elbow,” the Speaker said as Congress members continued to disrupt proceedings and trooped to the well of the House repeatedly.

Following the commotion, the Speaker suspended Congress MLAs Balram Dangi, Shakuntla Khatak, Aditya Surjewala, Devender Hans, Gokul Setia, Vikas Saharan, Induraj Narwal, and Jassi Petwar. The Speaker ordered watch and ward staff to remove all the MLAs suspended for the day from the House. “Bahar nikalo inko (get them out),” the Speaker directed marshals who had a tough time in implementing the order as the suspended MLAs resisted amid other Congress MLAs protesting.

“All those I have named should go out first...after that I will listen to you...either go back to your seats or do what you have planned as per the script,” the Speaker told Congress MLAs, who instead of going back to their seats from the well of the House, walked out around 1.20pm.

Peace finally returned and the remaining business of the day was completed in the next one hour and the House was adjourned to assemble again on Monday afternoon.