C’garh to spend `20L extra to make House virus-proof
Safety measures include glass partitions for MLAs in the Assembly
The Chhattisgarh Assembly is all geared up for its monsoon session scheduled to commence on August 25, amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
Some measures taken by the state government to protect the lawmakers during the session include glass partitions, provision of hand sanitizer bottles, and hankies on the desk of the each member of the House, a senior officer of the state Assembly secretariat said on Tuesday.
“The seats of the MLAs will be divided by glass partitions. Periodic sanitisation of the House will be done during the session to protect the members from the virus”, Chhattisgarh Assembly secretary C.S. Gangrade said.
“Modalities for holding the monsoon session of the Assembly are still being worked out”, sources in the Assembly secretariat told this newspaper.
There would be regulation of outsiders in the Assembly during the period. Only the Assembly staff essential for conducting the proceedings of the House would be allowed to attend office.
“The press and visitor galleries will remain closed during the session”, sources said. “It is estimated that the state government would incur an additional cost of `20 lakh to make the House virusproof during the session”, a senior officer of the Assembly secretariat said.
Then why did the party sack you from the post of Deputy Chief Minister and the state President of the party?
Let’s be clear on one thing. I have never hankered for any post. Posts come and go. It’s the truth and principles that are important in my scheme of things. For the last six and a half years, I was the state unit chief. Out of these five years we were in the Opposition. We protested against the then BJP government, staged dharnas, held yatras, were arrested, cases were foisted against us. It was not me alone, but the entire Congress was responsible for the ouster of the previous government.
Now when we are in power and our party workers are being ignored, how can I let that happen? They were with us when we were in the Opposition. So it was necessary that I raise their voice in the party.
There have been several allegations against you too. Infact, the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had some very harsh words for you?
Name calling and ascribing motives is very easy in politics. Mr. Gehlot is a very seasoned leader of the party. I have
differences with him on policy issues but not personally. My issues were what we had promised before coming to power and how we were not able to do it as we were not being given the space to do it. Certainly the issues were not addressed and there was acrimony that is why we had to come to Delhi and raise these issues.
What were the that you were about?
As I said, the workers who were with us were being slighted by the government. The promises that we had made to the people were not being fulfilled and there was no course correction.
I am also sad because of the way a sedition notice was given and then withdrawn within a month. There were several other issues also like lack of communication between the organisation and the government.
issues upset