HP deadlock ends as speaker revokes Cong MLAs’ suspension
Five legislators were suspended from state Assembly for unruly behaviour and obstructing governor
SHIMLA: The five-day long impasse in Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha ended with Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar revoking suspension of five legislators who were suspended for the entire budget session over their unruly behaviour and obstructing governor Bandaru Dattatreya while he was leaving after his address on opening day of the session on February 26.
The truce was struck in a meeting presided over by Speaker Parmar and attended by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, Jal Shakti minister Mahendra Singh Thakur, parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Bhardwaj, CPIM legislator Rakesh Singha, senior Congress MLA Asha Kumari, Dhani Ram Shandil, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Jagat Singh Negi and Ram Lal Thakur.
The suspended members returned to the house in the afternoon and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Bhardwaj moved the resolution to revoke the suspension of Mukesh Agnihotri (leader of opposition), Harshwardhan Chauhan, Sundar Singh Thakur, Vinay Kumar and Satpal Raizada.
‘Democracy runs on two wheels’
The resolution was passed by voice vote.
Speaking while moving the resolution, Bhardwaj said the democracy runs on two wheels— ruling and opposition—and both are necessary for making a law.
He said that on the instruction of the leader of house, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, he is proposing to rescind the suspension of five Congress legislators.
Bhardwaj said that issues that rose after February 26 incidents have been resolved through dialogue and many members played important role in striking the truce, particularly CPI(M) legislator Rakesh Singha.
Congress member Asha Kumari said she hails the proposal brought by the parliamentary affairs minister.
“Speaker called the Congress members for talks and to end the standoff and I welcome the development,” she said.
‘Dialogue is the only solution to every dispute’
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said it has been an established tradition of the house to come together in the interest of the state, though thoughts may differ.
He said forgetting what had happened, it’s time to move ahead in public interest.
He, however, maintained that the opposition had an opportunity to raise issues with the government during debate on governor’s address which it lost.
More such opportunities would come, he added.
Jai Ram said the solution to every dispute is a dialogue and he welcomed opposition members returning to the house.
Opposition is the soul of the house, says Mukesh Agnihotri
Earlier, leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, in an informal interaction with media after their suspension was revoked, said both the sides hold importance in the house.
“In a way, the opposition is the soul of the house and if it is removed, then how will the house function,” he said, while lauding the “unity” shown by the Congress.