Himachal assembly session ends on bitter note

The week-long winter session of the Himachal Pradesh assembly ended here Saturday on a bitter note with the opposition BJP protesting in the well of the house till the assembly was adjourned sine die.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members became agitated when they were disallowed an adjournment motion for discussion on the reported statement of Congress legislator Ram Kumar from Doon, who is accused of murder and is presently in a Haryana jail.

Ram Kumar had alleged in court that the chief minister had got him implicated.

As soon as question hour began Saturday, BJP member Mahender Singh inquired about the adjournment motion notice given by party members to discuss the "reported allegations levelled by Ram Kumar against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in court".

Speaker B.B.L. Butail, however, said he has got the notice by BJP but cannot allow the adjournment motion as the matter was under judicial purview.

At this, BJP member Ravi Singh Ravi said there were news reports that Ram Kumar had told a court that the chief minister had got him implicated.

BJP member Rajiv Bindal said the opposition needs to be given a chance to discuss the issue.

At this, the BJP members stood up and started shouting about the allegation. Congress members too got up and raised counter slogans leading to heated exchanges between the ruling and opposition members.

The BJP members then went to the well of the house and kept raising slogans till the house was adjourned sine die.

Question hour, however, continued without their participation.

It was the third adjournment notice moved by the BJP in this session and all of them were rejected.