Eight Congress MLAs were suspended from the Haryana Assembly after protesting the Speaker’s refusal to hear them and CM Nayab Singh Saini’s alleged derogatory remarks. The BJP accused the Congress MLAs of hooliganism and manhandling staff.
After eight Congress MLAs were suspended from the Haryana Assembly on Thursday, Congress MLA Balram Dangi alleged that the Speaker refused to listen to the Opposition’s demands and accused the Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini of using derogatory language against Congress legislators. Haryana Assembly monsoon session commenced today and will end on September 1.
Congress MLAs Allege Unfair Treatment
Speaking to ANI, Dangi said the Congress legislators were compelled to raise slogans after their demands were not addressed. “They simply weren’t willing to listen to us. It is the Speaker’s responsibility to treat everyone equally–whether they belong to the ruling party, the opposition, or are independent,” he said.
“We were even called ‘goons’; the Chief Minister used a derogatory term. We protested and demanded that the Chief Minister withdraw his words, but he offered no response. Naturally, we then raised slogans voicing the people’s demands,” Dangi said.
“When the Speaker refused to heed our requests, we were compelled to raise slogans–anti-government slogans, certainly–and were subsequently named and suspended,” he added.
Another suspended Congress MLA, Indu Raj Narwal, said the Opposition was raising issues concerning the state’s youth and sanitation workers. “We raised the voice of the state’s youth and sanitation workers. The Haryana government–the BJP–has wronged them; they have been mistreated. We will absolutely not tolerate this,” Narwal said.
“We stand with the Dalits; this government must immediately regularise the sanitation workers. We will continue to raise a strong voice for them in the Legislative Assembly,” he added.
Narwal further said Congress MLAs would continue to raise the issues inside and outside the Assembly. “Whether they frame rules or do anything else, we have a right to take to the streets,” he said.
BJP Accuses Opposition of ‘Hooliganism’
Reacting to the Congress protest, Haryana Minister Mahipal Dhanda accused Opposition legislators of manhandling security personnel and forcibly opening a gate while entering the Assembly premises.
“As they entered, their most senior leaders elbowed security personnel who were simply performing their duties honestly; it is astonishing. They struck the security staff surreptitiously,” Dhanda alleged.
He claimed that Congress legislators initially dropped their placards after being asked to do so, but later “turned around and forcibly opened the gate”.
“Barging in like that–such blatant hooliganism!” Dhanda said, alleging that the Congress had entered the House with a “pre-planned agenda”.
Haryana Cabinet Minister Ranbir Gangwa also criticised the Congress protest, alleging that Opposition MLAs misbehaved with Secretariat staff and officials. “The way the Congress is protesting and repeatedly questioning the government, and even staging walkouts, the attitude of Congress MLAs today was truly unfortunate,” Gangwa said.
He alleged that Congress MLAs arrived wearing black clothes and carrying placards and “misbehaved with the Secretariat staff and officials”, adding that the incident was recorded on camera. “The Congress lacks any substantive issues; they are creating a ruckus solely because they have been instructed to do so by their high command,” Gangwa alleged. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)