INLD and Congress MLAs on Monday demanded an apology from Haryana's Health Minister Anil Vij for allegedly misleading the state assembly when he was replying to a calling attention motion of an opposition legislator.
INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala, who is also the Leader of the Opposition, and Congress' Kuldeep Sharma and some other opposition legislators alleged that Vij had given a "factually incorrect" answer. The two opposition parties also insisted that a privilege motion be brought against the minister.
In a motion moved by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Kiran Chowdhary and others in the state assembly on Monday, it was alleged that a large number of female students of Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery/General Nursing and Midwifery diploma courses had been forced to move from pillar to post as their examinations were not being conducted since 2014.
Vij, however, informed the House that examinations were being held regularly since November 2014.
In his reply, the state health minister said during Congress' 10-year rule, a majority of 158 nursing colleges were given recognition by adopting "corrupt means and by flouting rules".
The Congress regime had constituted the Haryana Nurses Registration Council which adopted the "outdated" Punjab Nurses Registration Act, 1932, he alleged.
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Angered by Vij's response, the Congress MLA sought to know from him "what action had been taken against the people who it was being alleged facilitated the recognition of nursing colleges through corrupt means".
Sharma alleged that Vij was "lying" and insisted that a privilege motion be brought against him.
"Action should be taken against the persons who were instrumental in getting recognition for the nursing colleges by flouting norms," Chautala said as he and Vij entered into a verbal duel.
"It becomes the responsibility of Leader of the House (the chief minister) to take action against his minister who lies. The minister should apologise for lying," Chautala said.
Vij also entered into a verbal duel with former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Taking a dig at the Congress leader, Vij made an indirect reference to the recent FIR against him registered by Gurgaon police in connection with alleged irregularities in a land deal.
"Your entire party is on bail," Vij told Hooda.
When asked by Hooda what he meant by being out on bail, the outspoken Vij shot back at him, saying "You too will be behind bars soon.
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