JJP minister upset as Vidhan Sabha speaker sends ₹2.7L bill
STRICT NORMS
CHANDIGARH: Haryana Vidhan Sabha speaker Gian Chand Gupta has directed Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) legislator and minister of state Anoop Dhanak to deposit ₹2.7 lakh within two weeks for continuously occupying five rooms in Haryana MLA hostel even after the allotment of a bungalow.
Vidhan Sabha secretariat’s decision to demand the room rent comes on the heels of last week’s drug haul wherein police had recovered 200gm heroin allegedly from a Haryana resident who was staying at the Haryana MLA hostel room in Chandigarh (see box).
The speaker’s move has left Uklana MLA Dhanak visibly agitated. “I have received this bill…but where else I and my staff should have stayed…neither do I have a place to stay here…nor was I allotted a bungalow,” Dhanak said when contacted personally at his eighth floor office in the civil secretariat. “They can deduct this money from my salary. What’s a fuss about this? It
Haryana Vidhan Sabha has decided to enforce strict norms while allowing non-mlas to stay at the Haryana MLA hostel in Chandigarh. Last week, the Chandigarh Police had arrested a 34-year-old man from Haryana MLA hostel for illegal possession of heroin. The accused had claimed to be a relative of a
seems there is some mistake regarding the total amount I have to deposit,” he added.
Later in the evening, Dhanak, who holds the archaeology and museum, labour and employment portfolio, met speaker Gupta in the Vidhan Sabha.
According to the speaker, Dhanak vacated the rooms only after the Vidhan Sabha secretariat directed him to deposit the rent of five rooms.
“The MLA hostel is for the MLAS. Some other people from the constituency were also staying continuously. We don’t know who all were staying….they were not vacating the rooms even after
being asked to. Then we directed them to deposit ₹2.7 lakh as the rent,” speaker Gupta said.
Apart from Dhanak, Gupta said, there are about 15 other MLAS who were also issued notices to deposit the room rent. But, their bill is not more than ₹15,000, he added. He indicated that “as MLA hostel is perceived to be a safe zone where police don’t enter”, there were chances of some elements “misusing this premises”. “I am taking necessary steps such as keeping IDS of those who stay at the MLA hostel and are not legislators, and ensuring that all CCTV cameras are functioning,” Gupta said.