Oppn sees conspiracy in ‘sale’ of heritage hotels, creates ruckus

CHAOS Marshals called in as MLAs troop into well, step on to dais in front of the Chair

The state assembly witnessed an uproar on Tuesday with the opposition accusing the government of trying to sell off heritage hotels.

Jogaram Patel, who was presiding over the House proceedings, called marshals during the zero hour when Congress MLAs trooped into the well and stepped on to the dais in front of the Chair.

The marshals removed Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi and other Congress MLAs from the dais. Deputy Speaker Rao Rajendra Singh then adjourned the House for an hour.

Earlier in the day, when the House resumed, independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal entered the well, tore the starred question list and flung it in the air.

Beniwal protested the Chair’s decision to postpone his question related to three departments. He said “My question was listed in the starred category two and a half months ago, but it is being suspended, which is unjustified.”

During the zero hour, Opposition whip Govind Singh Dotasara raised disinvestment of heritage hotels – Khasa Kothi in Jaipur and Umaid Bhawan (Udaipur).

Addressing newspersons outside the House, he alleged that the government was making deals with foreign companies for the two properties saying that they were running in losses.

“On March 2, the government issued a tender; it had also contacted four foreign firms to make a deal, but as the companies did not approach, the tender was cancelled,” Dotasara alleged.

“The government is trying to sell both the heritage hotels worth ₹20,000 crore to companies based in London and New York. The heritage bill presented in the House was withdrawn as the government intends to sell the properties,” he said.

“Our leader was not allowed to speak. Marshals were called, we were pushed out, which is condemnable.”

In reply, parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore said the government has no intention to sell the properties, and the tender was issued to hire a consultancy for running the loss-making hotels successfully on a PPP mode. “The government is committed to maintaining the originality of the heritage hotels and conserving them through public participation,” he said. “No foreign firm was invited; only prominent companies, which are on the government of India’s list with headquarters in Delhi, were invited.”

Unsatisfied with the minister’s reply, the Opposition entered the well and shouted anti-government slogans.

The government is committed to maintaining the originality of the heritage hotels and conserving them