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Himachal assembly in session: Speaker refuses to allow discussion on ‘removal’ of outsourced staff, BJP stages walkout
The issue of “termination of services” of outsourced employees echoed loud in the Himachal Pradesh assembly on Tuesday with the opposition BJP staging a protest and later walking out of the House after their adjournment notice was rejected by the speaker.
The issue of “termination of services” of outsourced employees echoed loud in the Himachal Pradesh assembly on Tuesday with the opposition BJP staging a protest and later walking out of the House after their adjournment notice was rejected by the speaker.
As soon as the House assembled for the day’s proceedings, speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said an adjournment motion notice under Rule 67 had been received from the opposition members.
The speaker said that since the issue had already been discussed in the House through various questions and hence the discussion under rule 67 cannot be allowed.
“Under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, an issue which has already been discussed cannot be discussed again. As such, there is no justification for allowing discussion on this issue under Rule 67,” said the speaker rejecting the notice.
As the speaker announced the question hour, the opposition members started to create a ruckus in the House demanding adjournment of the proceedings to discuss the issue.
First, the opposition members raised slogans and then moved to the Well of the House and sat there.
As the speaker refused to budge from their demand, the opposition members staged a walkout.
Meanwhile, terming the opposition’s behaviour irresponsible, deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri said the government would soon take a policy decision on outsourced workers. He said that the government has constituted a sub-committee of the cabinet on the issue of employment generation and policy decisions will be taken on the basis of its recommendations.
“The government has not yet issued any order to terminate the services of outsourced employees,” he said.
Agnihotri also announced an inquiry into the irregularities done by Shimla Cleanways, an agency engaged by the previous BJP government for hiring outsourced employees.
He claimed that this agency had created chaos during the previous BJP government and was working like an employment office.
The deputy CM alleged that the previous government paid ₹ 40 crore to Shimla Cleanways and there were serious allegations or irregularities in appointments and misuse of the provident fund against the company.
He asked what the previous government led by Jai Ram Thakur had done for the welfare of outsourced workers.
He alleged that the BJP was dejected due to being out of power and instead of brainstorming the reasons for its defeat, it is behaving like an irresponsible opposition. He advised the opposition to play the role of a responsible opposition.
Speaker warns Jai Ram
Meanwhile, speaker issued a warning to Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur for violating the rules of the House. He said that Jai Ram has violated Rule 229 (12) of the House under which no member can sit inside with his back towards the chair. Pathania said that he was not taking any coercive action but it is a warning to the Leader of the Opposition not to violate the rules of the House in future.
CM terms opposition’s walkout ‘politically motivated’
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu termed the opposition’s walkout on the issue of “termination of services” of outsourced employees as politically motivated. He claimed that the BJP did nothing for the outsourced workers while in power and “now when they are in opposition, the BJP is suddenly concerned about them.”
Talking to mediapersons after returning from Delhi, the chief minister said the BJP did not listen to his budget speech in which he had listed several steps for the welfare of outsourced and other employees.
“Today the opposition has nothing to say against the government and that’s why they brought adjournment motion on the issue of outsourced employees,” said Sukhu.
The chief minister further said that the Congress is the main opposition party of the country and Rahul Gandhi is the tallest leader of the party. Sukhu said that when something comes up in the family, all the members try to deal with it unitedly. Regarding the comments made by Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Rahul Gandhi, the chief minister said that it was not a political issue and he and his entire cabinet and legislature party would stand by Rahul whenever needed.
In response to a question regarding amendment in the NDPS Act, the chief minister said that he had also taken up the issue with the Union home minister Amit Shah.
“During the meeting with home minister, I had sought permission from to take tough action against drug dealers,” he said.
The chief minister said that this NDPS Act was a central legislation and only Union government can approve amendment in it.
Sukhu said that state government has passed a resolution to amend the NDPS Act and he will again meet Shah to get it done.
