Uproar in HP assembly over transfer of ‘dead’ employees
Says 20,000 employees transferred in BJP govt’s 2month tenure
SHIMLA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition Congress MLAS traded charges over alleged large-scale transfers of government employees on the second day of the budget session in the Himachal Pradesh assembly on Wednesday.
Later, the opposition legislators staged a walkout from the House alleging that even dead employees were shown as transferred in the two-month tenure of Jai Ram Thakur-led government in the state.
Soon after the question hour, Vidhan Sabha speaker Rajiv Bindal informed the House about an adjournment notice from Congress MLA Harshwardhan Chauhan wherein the opposition demanded suspension of business to discuss the issue. The adjournment motion was supported by MLAS Nand Lal and Jagat Singh Negi. The House again witnessed commotion when the opposition MLAS interrupted the speaker.
They stood up and exchanged barbs with the treasury benches.
Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Mukesh Agnihotri claimed that even dead employees were transferred during Jai Ram’s tenure, leading to another bout of exchange of charges between the ruling and opposition parties. The speaker quoted rule 67 of the Vidhan Sabha to which the Congress MLAS hurriedly walked out from the House while raising slogans.
Law and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Bhardwaj condemned the walkout by the opposition, claiming that more 5 lakh employees were transferred during the Congress regime.
Bindal again read out the adjournment motion moved by the Congress. Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur criticised the behavior of Congress legislators. “I am hurt by the manner in which the Congress MLAS are behaving and seeking adjournment over non-serious issues under rule 67,” he said.
“It’s just that the Congress is trying to make a mockery of rule 67 which is used for seeking adjournments on serious issues of immediate concern. It is not necessary that what happened in the past will happen now,” he said, taking a jibe at his predecessor Virbhadra Singh. I am ready to place records over the transfers made during the Congress rule.”
The lone CPM legislator Rakesh Singha sought clarification on the transfer issue. To this, Bindal replied he has not accepted the notice and Singha could discuss the issues when it comes up later under different rules of the Vidhan sabha. The CM told Singha that he can discuss the issue with him later.
‘GOVT WILL REVIEW ANNOUNCEMENTS OF HEALTH INSTITUTIONS’
Health minister Vipin Singh Parmar said the government will review the announcement of over 100 health institutions by the previous government overlooking the norms. Replying to a question by Bhatiyat MLA Bikram Singh Jaryal, he said around 70% of those announcements do not fulfill the criteria.
‘WILL CLEAR PENDENCY OF PENSION CASES’
Replying to a question by Dehra MLA Hoshiyar Singh, social justice minister Rajiv Saijal said the government will soon clear the pendency of pension cases in the state. The Dehra MLA suggested that the government should link all Aadhaar cards with the pension system.