Minister of state for mines and forests Ramlal Jat alleged some opposition members and their relatives had engaged in illegal mining which led to an an adjournment.
The issue of illegal mining today rocked the Rajasthan Assembly, leading to an adjournment for an hour as minister of state for mines and forests Ramlal Jat alleged some opposition members and their relatives had engaged in it.
When Jat stood up to make a statement on the state government's measures to curb it during zero hour, BJP MLAs led by acting leader of opposition GS Tiwari rushed to the well shouting anti-government slogans.
The ruling benches and the opposition traded charges on the issue, leading to noisy scenes in the House.
Throwing the ball in the opposition's court, the minister said, "Many leaders in the opposition and their relatives were engaged in illegal mining. However, they were stopped by the district authorities and now they are raising the issue and passing the buck to the ruling members. It was the previous BJP regime that encouraged illegal mining."
As the minister alleged that relatives of two senior BJP members -- R S Rathore (whip) and Tiwari -- were engaged in illegal mining, the BJP staged a stormy walkout.
However, BJP members returned to their seats after a few minutes.
Tiwari held the Congress responsible for illegal mining and asked the minister to admit it and legalise it so that higher revenues be generated.
At one time, speaker Dipender Singh Shekhawat asked Jat to sit down but he continued to attack the opposition.
With the ruling members and opposition continuing to trade charges, the Speaker adjourned the House for an hour.
Earlier, about twenty-five MLAs, those of the ruling Congress, had raised the issue through a "call attention motion".
Tiwari alleged that illegal mining in the forest and hilly regions of the state was rampant and the government was losing non-tax revenue, adding the amnesty scheme on mining did not benefit anyone but a few big miners.
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