Din-raat: Congress uses viral fever in House

After being adjourned on Friday amid chaos over a viral video clip involving Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi, the House proceedings commenced on Monday on a similar note. Dudi though was provided opportunity to present his side of the story after the question hour, he was frequently interrupted and hence could not finish what he had to say in the stipulated time. Thereafter, the Opposition occupied the well, staged dharna and sparked commotion, following which the house proceedings got adjourned twice during the day.

Anguished Dudi lashed out on the ruling party and parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore outside the Assembly. “The ruling party is trying to divert the Assembly from core issues, the grievances of common man,” said Dudi.

Dudi conceded that the clip was genuine, but he said that it was notoriously edited to put his words out of context and added that instead it was a casual discussion with several media persons. Opposition MLAs claimed that it was unfair of parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore to have raised allegations in the House on Friday merely on basis of the video.

Earlier during the day, Opposition raised the demand for extending Dudi an opportunity to provide an explanation as soon the session commences on Monday. “It is an issue bigger than the question hour that a leader of Opposition is alleged in person and is not being extended opportunity to give explanation,” said Congress MLA from Lakshmangarh, Govind Singh Dotasra.

The speaker, however, permitted for the explanation post question hour. 

Outside the House, the Opposition was vocal on viral audio clips of BJP MLAs and questioned the ruling party’s leadership and the CM and said the government gives priority to BJP members and their relatives in transfer posting.

What’s that noise!

‘Oho, Ho-Ho’,  Opposition MLA from Todabhem,Ghanshaym Meher laughed a little loudly as speaker Kailash Meghwal ended Leader of Opposition’s explanation, upholding it as ‘considered given’. The laughter of Todhabhem MLA though upset the speaker. “Are these members doing ‘O-HoHo’, sitting in some forest? Mister Ghanshyam sit down or else I will bar you,” warned the speaker. Further condemning the MLA’s behaviour he said that the Assembly isn’t meant for such things and such a conduct is obejectionable. 

Enemies of democracy

As Congress MLAs occupied Well of the House demanding Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi being extended more time to complete his explanation, the Speaker was offended with their attitude. He held the protesting MLAs as ‘enemies of democracy’. He even yelled at one of the members as he tried to demand time for Dudi. “Shut up...who are you to convince...sit,” said the Speaker.   However, outside the House the Opposition expressed discontent over the Speaker’s attitude.

Is the concern for real?

Zamindara party MLA Sonadevi had an objection when independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal raised issue of delay in establishment of medical college proposed at Shriganganagar. Beniwal had raised the issue as a special mention under rule 295, however, Sonadevi questioned his concern for Sriganganagar. Interestingly, it was founder of the Zamindara party who had initially raised the issue and donated for the college, thus Sonadevi said, “It is our issue and Mr Beniwal must not try to cash in on the same.”