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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said bringing iron chains into the Vidhan Sabha was against the dignity and sanctity of the Assembly.
The CM made the remark in response to media queries after members from the principal Opposition, BJP, staged protests in chains outside the Assembly and his chamber at the Assembly Secretariat, against the government's move to stop the release of MLA funds, citing a fiscal crunch. The chief minister said there is no precedent of such a protest in the 75 years of the Assembly's history. On the third day of the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly on Thursday, the Opposition members, especially from the BJP, created a ruckus both outside and inside the House over the MLA fund issue. Calling the disruption of proceedings unfortunate, the CM said, "Never in the history of our Assembly did the members of the Opposition bring iron chains to the House. This happened for the first time in 75 years. The Opposition members violated the sanctity and decorum of the Vidhan Sabha. They tried to disrupt the proceedings in the House today." Sukhu alleged that former chief minister and the present Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly, Jairam Thakur, instigated the ruckus inside the House instead of holding a meeting with him on the issue. "There are many ways to protest. But the Opposition members should be mindful of the sanctity of this august House," the chief minister said. Earlier, on March 15, BJP MLAs staged a walkout on the opening day of the Budget session, claiming that they were dissatisfied with the CM's reply on the issue of MLA funds being stopped. The chief minister, in his reply on the issue on the floor of the Assembly, said each citizen of the state was in debt of Rs 1 lakh. The CM made the remark in response to an adjournment motion brought by the BJP members for a discussion on the MLA fund issue. The motion was rejected by the Speaker, prompting the BJP members to stage a walkout from the House. LoP Jairam Thakur told reporters, "This is the first time, and unfortunately so, that the Opposition members staged a walkout from the Assembly on the very day of the Budget session." The opening day of the Budget session was witness to a ruckus as the Opposition members brought an adjournment motion under Rule 67, seeking a discussion on the Congress government not releasing the last instalment of the MLA funds. Dissatisfied with the CM's reply, the BJP MLAs left the House in a huff. Thakur alleged that the CM wanted to fulfil his election guarantees by stopping the MLA funds. (ANI)
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