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Himachal Budget session: Govt, opposition spar as House discusses closure of institutions
Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed uproarious scenes after treasury and opposition members locked horns several times over the government’s decision to denotify more than 600 institutions and offices opened by the previous government on the 2nd day of budget session
The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed uproarious scenes after treasury and opposition members locked horns several times over the government’s decision to denotify more than 600 institutions and offices opened by the previous government.
As soon as the House assembled on the second day of the budget session, BJP member Sukhram Chaudhary sought adjournment of the proceedings under Rule 67 to discuss the closure of 632 institutions and offices. Parliamentary affairs minister Harshwardhan Chauhan contested the opposition’s demand stating that the BJP has been raising this issue for the last three months and it is not right to raise this issue in the House. “The previous BJP government opened these institutions at the fag-end of its tenure to take political advantage but still people rejected them,” he said. This infuriated the opposition members who started to raise slogans while speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania ruled that the matter is pending in the high court, so it cannot be discussed.
Amid the ruckus, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu intervened stating that the government was ready for discussion and the speaker should allow it. It was after this that the speaker allowed an adjournment motion and suspended the day’s list of business. Initiating the discussion, Chaudhary said there was anger among the general public due to the closure of institutions and offices by the Congress government.
He said during the previous BJP government, no institute could be opened for two years due to the Covid pandemic.
Participating in the discussion, Congress MLA Rajesh Dharmani said this topic could have been discussed under Rule-130 as well. Despite this, the chief minister and the speaker have given permission to discuss this subject under Rule-67.
He claimed that the previous BJP government had lost the four bypolls as a result of chaos and corruption during the pandemic and even the health minister had to be removed from the post. “To woo the public, the BJP government opened offices and institutions sans staff and budget,” he said. While participating in the debate, BJP member JR Katwal made some remarks which infuriated the ruling party members and there was a heated exchange after which the speaker ordered to expunge the remarks made by the member.
Congress MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal claimed that during the BJP regime, the Prime Minister visited the state several times but gave nothing to the state.
Churah MLA Hansraj said that if grants under the MLA local area development fund are not restored, he will sit on fast unto death. He said the previous government opened the institutions in his constituency on the demand of the public.
BJP MLA Rakesh Jamwal raised the issue of closure of a 70-year-old police post in his constituency. While both sides sparred on many occasions, the chief minister said members should talk keeping in mind the dignity of the House. He said all were elected members and no personal comments should be made. Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the ruling party members should ensure that no one interferes when the members of the opposition are speaking. He also objected to the use of the phone by an officer sitting in the officer’s gallery after which the speaker ordered officers to strictly maintain decorum and warned of strict action if they use phones in the gallery. Replying to the debate, Sukhu said the closed institutions would be opened on a need basis and the government has already opened some offices where these were necessary.
“Denotifying the institutions and offices after April 2022 was a policy decision and now decisions are also being taken to reopen the institutions on a need basis,” Sukhu said and blamed the previous government for opening the institutions without any budgetary provision. “The government will first fill the vacant posts of teachers and open new institutions later as 4,145 schools are running with only one teacher and 455 schools are without a teacher. The previous government made provision of only ₹1 lakh each for 23 newly opened colleges and out of 140 health institutions opened by them, sanction from the finance department was obtained only for nine institutions,” he said. However, opposition members left the House before Sukhu completed his reply.
