The Congress continued with the protest on the second day of the winter session of state Assembly here today, while displaying opposition to investors meet and price rise through posters and garlands of onions.

The members raised loud slogans and came to the well of the House, carrying posters with slogans written on them and garlands of onions around their necks. They later staged walkout from the state Assembly.

The Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur, however, said it was strange that the Congress had sent a notice for discussion on price rise under rule 67 (adjournment motion), but did not talk about it and referred to investors meet. “We are not able to understand that on which issue they have staged a walkout,” he said.

Immediately as the House assembled in the morning and Speaker Dr Rajiv Bindal announced the Question Hour, Congress member Harshwardhan Chauhan was on his legs. He said the Congress had given adjournment motion (on investors meet) yesterday, which was rejected. However, in today’s business, the same issue has been listed for discussion in a different rule, changing the language and the names of Congress members have been added in the last in that. In the meantime, BJP member Rakesh Pathania also got up and said he wanted to raise a point of order.

This charged the atmosphere and the infuriated Congress members started raising slogans, went to the well of the House and protested with posters and garlands of onions.

In the midst of all this ruckus, simultaneously as the House proceedings were on, the Speaker told the opposition Congress that it was against the rules of Vidhan Sabha to carry advertisements, flags or banners, etc in the House.

However, opposition MLAs did not listen to him and continued with their protest and later staged a walkout.

After the Question Hour, the Chief Minister criticized the Congress party for a confusing stand. He said the Congress was unable to decide what issues to raise and how as there was competition within the party to outdo each other.

The CM said the Congress party is facing the dearth of experienced leaders and is hastily raking issues. He said they are time and again pointing fingers to the chair, which is against the decorum of the House and state’s culture.

He criticized Congress party for bringing things from outside and displaying them in the House against rules. “The Congress party is not seriously playing the role of opposition. The party has got the role of opposition this time, and it should responsibly do that,” the CM said.

He said the people of the state have outrightly supported BJP in the Lok Sabha polls and then by-polls and Congress has faced defeat after defeat. He said some of the Congress leaders could not get lead even on their own polling booths. “Still they are not understanding the ground realities. If they have some doubt about it, we are ready to face general elections right away,” he said.