Shocker! 29 MLAs get suspended from Haryana assembly over CD row

Chandigarh: Pandemonium prevailed on the first day of the monsoon session of Haryana Assembly today after the Speaker suspended 29 opposition members for the rest of the session, following unruly scenes in the House. Trouble started soon after the House met here in the afternoon and had paid obituary references, when INLD members got up and raised the issue of a CD, purportedly showing a Congress member allegedly demanding a Rs 5 crore bribe from a person for Change of Land Use for a plot along NH-8 in Gurgaon. [caption id=“attachment_1091127” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  This image of protesting INLD supporters has been used for representational purposes only. PTI.[/caption] The member in question, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ram Kishen Fouji, denied allegations in the House, saying the CD had been “doctored”. Speaker Kuldeep Sharma asked INLD MLAs to allow Question Hour be taken up first and raise any issue during the Zero Hour, but the opposition remained adamant. Shortly before the session started, INLD state president Ashok Arora and party general secretary Abhay Singh Chautala released the CD at a press conference. While speaking on a Calling Attention notice on a separate issue, Fouji said, “Wild and baseless allegations” were levelled against him." But, adamant INLD members demanded government’s reply and an inquiry in the issue. They later got support from BJP’s senior leader Anil Vij, who claimed it was a “serious matter of corruption” by a ruling member. As the spat between Congress and INLD members continued, the Speaker briefly adjourned the House on two occasions, but the din went on unabated. The Speaker finally suspended 28 INLD legislators as well as Vij, but on Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s intervention, the Chair suspended the latter for today. However, as he was leaving the House, Vij passed some remarks on Gopal Kanda, an Independent MLA, who is out on bail in connection with the air hostess suicide case. This prompted Parliamentary Affairs minister Randeep Singh Surjewala to move a resolution requesting the Speaker to suspend Vij for the rest of the session, with the Speaker agreeing to it. As Vij left the House, the other BJP members and the lone MLA of Haryana Janhit Congress’, Renuka Bishnoi also walked out of the House. Later, the Chief Minister told reporters that the allegations against Fouji were false and baseless. “Earlier also, the opposition had levelled allegations against Fouji which were later found as baseless” Hooda said, taking strong exception to the manner in which the opposition members tried to “disrupt” proceedings of the House. Meanwhile, speaking on the suspension of opposition members, the Speaker said he was ready to reconsider his ruling if the members requested him. In the evening, INLD members submitted a memorandum to the Governor Jagan Nath Pahadia and termed their suspension as unprecedented and a “murder of democracy.” PTI