Himachal Assembly Session begins with paying tribute to former member and the demise of 441 people in the monsoon rain
The Monsoon Session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly began with the paying of tributes to former MLA Khub Ram and the demise of 441 people in the recent monsoon rains. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the state lost former member of assembly Khub Ram and as many as 441 people died in the rainfall. Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, Lokender Kumar, and Speaker Kuldeep Pathania also paid tributes to the members. The house also absorbed silence on the marks of respect to the departed souls.
Soon after obituary references Opposition members demanded to adjourn the entire business to discuss the issue of rain furry. Speaker Kuldeep Pathania said that he had received notice from BJP members this morning under rule 67. He said that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu would move a resolution on the same issue to be discussed in-house by today. The Speaker said that the issue would be allowed under 102 rule in the house therefore the Opposition should not insist on raising the issue under rule 67.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said that the issue brought by the Chief Minister was different from that the BJP members have raised under rule 67 therefore the business listed for today should be adjourned and the house should discuss the issue of the death of so many people immediately. The Speaker did not allow the adjournment motion of BJP under rule 67 stating that the government had already raised the same issue and it was listed in the agenda of the house for today.
Amid the protest of the Opposition Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented the resolution. He was disrupted by the opposition members by shouting slogans seeking discussion under rule 67. Later Opposition Members staged a walkout when the Chief Minister was presenting the resolution. Condemning the walkout of opposition chief minister said that they are demanding a special session on the issue however now when their adjourned motion was allowed they walked out from the house. He said that during the previous monsoon session speaker allowed the discussion under Rule 102 when Congress brought the discussion under Rule 67.
Chief Minister said that as many as 441 people have died and 75000 tourists were stranded in the state. He said that the Government acted swiftly during the rain fury and evacuated all the tourists within 72 hours. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harish Vardhan Chauhan said that BJP members are trying to take political mileage from this issue and failed to look at the sensitivity of the issue. The opposition Leader was informed in the all-party meeting yesterday that the government is coming with the discussion on the issue under Rule 102 despite they bringing the issue under Rule 67. Discussion under rule 102 continues in the house in the absence of opposition members for a few minutes.
