Unruly scenes were witnessed in Uttarakhand Assembly today as its session was prorogued three days earlier than scheduled with the opposition creating a bedlam in the House over its demand for a debate on allocation of capital status to Gairsain, forcing mashals to step in.
There was a lot of slogan shouting in the House which saw BJP members storming the well of the House and rushing towards the Speaker's chair prompting marshals to chip in.
The trouble started during the Question Hour when Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Ajay Bhatt demanded that all other business be kept on hold and the issue of Gairsain be debated immediately in the House.
Bhatt said the state government's alleged ambiguity over declaring the remote hill town in Chamoli as capital has led to confusion and resentment among people. The matter should be discussed and the state government should clarify its stand on the issue, he added.
Bhatt's demand for the suspension of all other business for a debate was opposed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh which prompted almost all BJP members in the House to rise from their seats in solidarity with the Leader of Opposition.
Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal intervened expressing his readiness for a discussion on the issue later in the House but that could not pacify the opposition members who kept clamouring on.
The Speaker then adjourned the house till 1220 hrs.
When the House reassembled, obituary references were made to former members Puran Singh Mehra and Kharak Singh Bora who passed away recently. The House observed a two-minute silence in the memory of the departed members which was followed by the Speaker announcing resumption of business.
But BJP members led by Bhatt rose again from their seats and began shouting slogans in support of their demand.
However, a supplementary budget proposal of Rs 4,788.64 crore was passed without any discussion and change amid prevailing din in the House. The CAG report on the last financial year in the state and the one on the 2013 disaster were also tabled in the House even as noisy scenes continued.
There was a brief adjournment of the proceedings in the post-lunch session, too, as opposition members continued to shout. The noise grew louder when the session resumed.
BJP members rushed into the well of the house asking the state government to clear the air over Gairsain.
Amid continuing din, Chief Minister Harsh Rawat said the state government is ready for a debate but any discussion could be held only in accordance with legislative norms.
Irked by this, opposition members rushed towards the Speaker's Chair prompting Marshals to cut in to control the situation.
When marshals failed to control the situation, policemen in plainclothes were also called in which further enraged BJP members some of whom were seen chasing the security men out of the House.
Angry members also overturned the House Officer's table even as scheduled business continued in the prevailing noise and the Speaker prorogued the session.
The session of the state assembly had been convened for five days.
