The sexual harassment case against Haryana minister Sandeep Singh rocked the Haryana Assembly on Monday with the Opposition Congress demanding his resignation even as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar ruled out action against the former Hockey India captain till he was found guilty.

On the opening day of the budget session of the Assembly, this issue was first raised by senior Congress leader Geeta Bhukkal, who was later joined in by other party members including former CM and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Uproar was witnessed with slogan-shouting Congress members demanding Singh’s resignation, Khattar came to his minister’s defense and said he won’t be asked to resign.

Singh, who currently holds charge of the printing and stationery department, was not present in the House. His sports portfolio was taken away after an alleged case of sexual harassment against him was filed by a junior athletics coach.

“Istafa Nahi Lenge, Nahi Lenge, Nahi Lenge” (won’t seek his resignation),” the CM said even as the Opposition members raise “shame shame” slogans on Khattar’s response.

Hooda said till the allegations are investigated, the CM should seek the resignation of the minister or the minister himself should resign on moral grounds.

To save the minister accused of molestation, the Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janta Party (BJP-JJP) coalition government is tearing apart morality in public life.

“Due to this attitude of the government towards crimes against women, Haryana today lags behind all the states in the matter of women’s safety,” he said. Congress legislators later walked out of the House in protest.

Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said levelling allegations is one thing, but the minister has not been held guilty yet. “SIT is conducting investigations… Many FIRs are lodged, but inquiry is conducted first. You (pointing to Congress members) are declaring him guilty without the investigation being completed. Don’t you have trust in the law of the land,” asked the Speaker.

“The Haryana CM showing a large heart already took back the minister’s department (Sports portfolio). An inquiry is going on, let inquiry be completed, future action will depend on outcome of inquiry,” he said. However, the Congress continued its demonstration against the BJP-JJP government.  Bhukkal said on the one hand Haryana government is saying Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, but on the other hand, its minister was found to be involved in a sexual harassment case.