The Opposition BJP seeking adjournment of the business listed for Monday to hold debate on non-payment of salaries-allowances due to the employees in Himachal Pradesh staged a walkout after being denied the same by the Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania.

The deadlock between the government and the Opposition during the Monsoon session continued on Monday. The Opposition party created a huge ruckus in the house and later the entire Opposition walked out of the house.

As soon as the meeting of the house began, BJP MLA Vipin Singh Parmar wanted to raise the issue through a point of order. He sought permission from the Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania to raise the issue, however, the Speaker declined to do so.

The Speaker ruled that the Opposition can raise its issue after the question hour.

Vipin Singh Parmar kept demanding permission to raise his issue while the entire Opposition stood up from the seats and started creating a ruckus.

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur tried to present his point, but nothing could be heard amid the noise in the din. Following this, the Opposition kept raising slogans in the house for some time and amid the noise, the Speaker of the Assembly started the Question Hour before the Opposition walked out of the House raising slogans.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu claimed that infighting in the BJP has increased leaving the party leaders tense. Therefore, they are wasting the time of the House.

He said, “It is for the first time in the history of the Assembly that the monsoon session is going to be of 10-day-long. The government had decided before the session that it would answer every issue raised by the Opposition.”

He said that a maximum number of questions in the session were also asked by the Opposition members but despite this, they are busy only in creating ruckus.

Sukhu said the people of the state have come to know that the BJP only wants to gain political mileage. He said despite the members of the ruling party giving less time by the Speaker they did not raise any objection.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan said that the Opposition is not concerned about the public. “During the five days of the monsoon session so far, most of the agenda has been of the BJP, but the party is coming to the house only to create drama,” he blamed.

“BJP gave a notice of no-confidence motion today, but it was not discussed even through Point of Order,” he said.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said that the walkout of the BJP is a political drama and the House condemns it.

Speaking on the issue, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that under Rule 67, an adjournment motion is brought on a very serious issue.

He alleged that the opposition had brought a motion under Rule 67 just for show.

Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania stated that the proceedings within the House will be conducted as per the rules.

He said that what is not in the rules will not happen.

The Assembly Speaker said that his effort is aimed at bringing the issues of the state’s interest for discussion. Therefore, he allowed the issues to be brought by the opposition for discussion, however, despite all this, the opposition does not seem to be serious.

He further said that this morning, a notice of adjournment motion was received from Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, Vipin Singh Parmar, Sukhram Chaudhary, Satpal Satti, and others under Rule 67, which is related to non-payment of salary-allowances and pension of employees and financial crisis.

Pathania said that on August 28, a proposal for discussion under Rule 130 came from MLA Kewal Singh Pathania and others regarding the financial condition of the state.

He said that he had sent it to the government for necessary action and its reply has also come.

In such a situation, now this matter will be discussed in the House only under Rule 130 and hence the adjournment motion given by the opposition members in this regard was rejected.