Uproar between the Opposition Congress and the ruling party was witnessed on Tuesday over the issue of sloganeering within the Assembly premises.

After question hour during the ongoing second session of the 13th Himachal Pradesh state assembly, the Opposition Congress again strongly objected to the sloganeering by the public outside Assembly on Monday in the presence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

The ruling BJP party, however, termed it insignificant and maintained that it was nothing new and similar incidents had also taken place during the previous Congress government.

Both the ruling and Opposition Congress members clashed on the issue and the Speaker of the House Rajeev Bindal urged the members to remain silent and maintain discipline within the house.

Congress Legislative Assembly leader Mukesh Agnihotri maintained that the incident was against the decorum of the Assembly and said that it was also breach and threat to the security of the Assembly and its members.

CM said that the sloganeering was not in violation of the rules and that the Congress party should not forget the similar incidents in past that have been encouraged by them when they were in power.

On previous occasions the Assembly premises has been witness to sloganeering as well as dance with drum beats, waving flags of Congress party and also incidents of legislators entering the Assembly premises lifted on the shoulders of the party workers, he said.

“It has been barely three months since the BJP has assumed power. The sloganeering by the public was an outburst of the public sentiments that had come to Assembly to meet him and share their grievances. Congress should have no objection to it,” he said.

Owing to the geographical terrain there is paucity of space for a designated public meeting place both in the Assembly and even in HP state secretariat, he justified.

Earlier, when the members of the Assembly assembled for session, Congress legislator from Kinnaur constituency, Jagat Singh Negi before the Question Hour had raised the issue of sloganeering.

Terming the incident against the dignity of Assembly, he demanded that such incidents should be stopped and action be taken against those responsible.

The Speaker said that the issue had been raised on Monday by the Opposition Congress and he had already assured that necessary action would be taken, hence there was no need for discussion. After this the house began the normal proceedings for the day.