Speaker rejects Kiran Choudhary's calling attention notices on stubble-burning, other issues

Three calling attention notices given by Congress's Kiran Choudhary on several issues, including stubble-burning, were rejected by Speaker Gian Chand Gupta on Wednesday saying she was absent when detailed discussion took place on these matters a day before. Chaudhary, the MLA from Tosham, said her notices were on the issues including stubble-burning and farmers' crop procurement.

Insisting that her Calling Attention notices be taken up, Kiran Choudhary said, "Pollution caused by stubble-burning has become a major issue and farmers are being blamed for this, but the government does not come up with any roadmap to find a viable solution to the problem. Blaming farmers is not an answer." Gupta then told her, "Had you been here on Tuesday (in the latter half of proceedings), I would have given you time to speak. A detailed discussion has already taken place on this and the chief minister too has given a detailed reply."

"All the issues...were discussed in detail during the discussion on Governor's Address on Tuesday. I feel there is no need to have a separate discussion on these issues now," he said. However, Kiran Choudhary replied, "I don't do negative politics and only raise people's issue."

To this, the Speaker said, "I don't have any objection to the issues being raised by you, but you were not there and detailed discussion has already taken place." Meanwhile, INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala got up and backed Congress MLA Raghuvir Singh Kadian's demand of withdrawal of criminal cases and immediate release of youths who were booked for their alleged role in the February 2016 violence during the Jat quota agitation.

The Speaker declined Abhay the permission to make his point saying he had not given any notice to raise the issue. "Had you given notice on this issue, we could have taken cognizance," he told Abhay. When Abhay insisted that he be permitted to speak, the Speaker told him, "There is no Zero Hour or Question Hour in the House today. I said we will listen as per rules, but we will not allow any member to get up and say anything."

Intervening in the matter, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar told the opposition member, "The issue you are referring to is sub-judice and sharing details here in the Vidhan Sabha will not be appropriate." Abhay then staged a symbolic walkout from the House.

Meanwhile, on the concluding day of its three-day session, the assembly passed two bills -- the Haryana Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2019, and the Haryana Service of Engineers, Group A, Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Department (Amendment), Bill, 2019. The House was later adjourned sine die.

This was the first session of the 14th Haryana Assembly. The state had gone to polls on October 21 and results were declared on October 24. A BJP-JJP alliance formed the government with the support of seven Independents. The Congress is the main opposition party in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)