Demanding that the Speaker take action on the breach of privilege notice served to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for his comments against them, BJP MLAs staged walkout in the assembly for the third day today as stalemate between the ruling party and opposition continued.
The BJP members, who had served the notice against Singh, were on their legs as soon as the session started and wanted the Speaker to take action on the notice and refer the matter to Privilege committee.
BJP member Jai Ram urged Speaker B B L Butail to give his ruling on the motion pertaining to reported remarks of the Chief Minister, calling BJP MLAs as "bonded labourers" and said the remarks were recorded by electronic media.
The BJP members insisted on immediate ruling even as the Speaker assured to take up the matter after the Question Hour and heated exchanges ensued as leader of the opposition P K Dhumal was not allowed to intervene.
When BJP leader urged the Speaker to give his ruling on this issue first before proceeding with Question Hour, Sanjay Rattan (Congress) intervened and said Congress members have also given a notice of breach of privilege against the BJP members for coming to the House with aprons with caricatures and raising slogans which was against the norms, rules and convention.
The Speaker said he had got the notice of breach of privilege against the Chief Minister by BJP members and he has asked the Assembly Secretary to verify the details.
He said the assembly had written to the newspapers also who reported that the Chief Minister had denied having said it.
Butail said he had received the notice from some Congress members as well against BJP members for violating norms by wearing aprons in the house and disrupting assembly proceedings time and again.
"The matter is under consideration. I will take action after verification," he said.
