Congress brings no-confidence motion against govt, rejected
DHARAMSHALA: Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Himachal assembly for a brief period on Friday after the Opposition Congress moved a no-confidence motion against CM Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government in the state, only to be rejected by the speaker for want of required one-third number of members.
After the obituary references to General Bipin Singh Rawat and three former members, who passed away recently, speaker Vipin Singh Parmar said he had received a no-confidence motion notice by the opposition members. The speaker then asked the Leader of the Opposition to move the motion. Moving the motion, Agnihotri claimed that the BJP government had lost its credibility, authority and trust of the people.“The public has rejected this government. Even it was routed in the Mandi parliamentary constituency, the hometurf of the CM,” he said.
Even as Agnihotri was speaking, a heated exchange started between the treasury and opposition benches.
Amid the pandemonium, the speaker ruled that there should be on third strength in the house for the motion to be admitted for discussion. The number of members required for the motion to be approved was 23, however, the opposition had only 18 members.
“Hence this motion could not be approved for discussion and thus stands rejected,” he said. At this the opposition members started raising slogans.
Earlier, paying homage to General Rawat, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said,“The entire country was shocked at this tragic news. His services to the nation will always be remembered by one and all.”
He said he also had an association with Himachal Pradesh as he got his initial education from St Edward’s School, Shimla.
He said a jawan from Himachal, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, a resident of Jaisinghpur in Kangra district, was also killed in the accident.
Paying tribute to former members GS Bali, Bodh Raj and Dr Shiv Kumar, Thakur said all three belonged to Kangra district and their demise was a great loss to Kangra in particular and the state in general.