Chandigarh, October 24: Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar and Leader of the Opposition Abhay Chautala exchanged hot words on the second day of the monsoon session of the Assembly on Tuesday.
This happened when Congress legislator from Tigaon Lalit Nagar was on his feet, alleging how one Rajpal, alias Mama, a close associate of a Central minister from Haryana, was allegedly shielding those indulging in illegal activities in Faridabad, including illegal constructions.
As soon as Abhay Chautala rose to support Nagar, Gujjar restrained him, saying that the Leader of the Opposition was in the habit of interfering in the discussion. Abhay Chautala took umbrage to this and tried to stage a walkout while indulging in a verbal duel with the Speaker.
Chautala asserted that as the Leader of the Opposition he had every right to support a legislator, who had earlier alleged that he was being threatened by Rajpal. Abhay Chautala was joined by other INLD members, who marched into the well of the House in his support.
However, Gujjar put his foot down, saying that Abhay would have to mend his ways as he was in the habit of interfering in discussion in the ‘unallotted time”. The Speaker maintained that this was despite the fact he had always been liberal in allotting time to Abhay Chautala.
Even as Abhay Chautala and INLD members continued to argue with the Chair, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma intervened following which Abhay resumed his seat.
Sharma urged members, especially Abhay Chautala, to observe restraint as the Speaker was the custodian of the House.
Abhay Chautala and Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian hit out at a senior officer for repeatedly failing to appear before the Public Accounts Committee of the Vidhan Sabha.
The two, on separate occasions, claimed that an officer posted in the Warehousing Corporation, responsible for buying sheets for which recommendation of a CBI inquiry was initiated only to be shelved by this government, was not appearing before the PAC for his statement.
“He sends a one-line reply that the government has given him duty elsewhere and he can’t make it. If the government is trying to shield him in this fashion, the committees have little meaning,” Abhay said.
Later, Kadian urged the Speaker to ask all officers of the Warehousing Corporation to be present before the committee on November 20.
