Cong MLAs in Raj stage walkout

Jaipur : On the final day of the Rajasthan Assembly’s Budget session, a heated exchange took place between the opposition and the ruling party.

Leader of the Opposition Tika Ram Jully was denied the opportunity to ask supplementary questions, leading to a protest by Congress MLAs, who staged a walkout.

During the question hour, Jully sought to ask an additional supplementary question related to electricity, but the Speaker denied his request.

The Speaker justified the decision by citing assembly rules, which limit members to two supplementary questions. Jully objected, asserting that it was the opposition’s right to question the government. A verbal exchange ensued between him and the Speaker. In protest, Congress MLAs rushed to the well of the House, raised slogans, and disrupted proceedings.

Expressing strong disapproval of the disruption, Assembly Speaker Devnani warned the Congress MLAs against creating chaos. He urged them to allow the smooth conduct of the final session day and emphasised that such behaviour sets a negative precedent.

Expressing displeasure over the disruption, the Speaker warned: “If you continue this, do not expect cooperation. Do not force me to take strict action.” Despite the warning, the Congress MLAs persisted with their protest, prompting the Speaker to make sharp remarks.

Despite his repeated appeals, the uproar continued.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogram Patel criticised the opposition’s actions, accusing them of engaging in baseless disruptions rather than addressing substantive issues. He noted that despite the Speaker’s multiple requests, the Congress persisted with its protest. Patel criticised the opposition, stating, “The Congress has no real issue, so they are unnecessarily disrupting the house.”

The last day of the session included discussions and voting on three significant bills. The first bill aims to abolish 45 obsolete laws, the second seeks to regulate coaching institutes and curb student suicides, and the third proposes amendments to urban development authority regulations. The passing of these bills would likely lead to the adjournment of the Assembly session indefinitely.