Opposition BJP today staged a walkout in Himachal Pradesh Assembly after Speaker B B L Butail refused to allow its adjournment motion over the repatriation of an Enforcement Directorate (ED), who is investigation a money laundering case against the principal private secretary to chief minister Virbhadra Singh.
Soon after the House assembled, BJP members raised the issue of notice for adjournment motion over the repatriation of ED officer Bhupinder Singh but the Speaker maintained that the motion could not be discussed under any rule. Butail said he would send the notice to the government and get reply.
As the Speaker proceeded with Question Hour ignoring BJP members' repeated demand for a discussion on the issue, they started raising slogans and then walked out of the Assembly. The BJP MLAs returned to the House after the Question Hour.
Later talking to mediapersons, Leader of the Opposition P K Dhumal said that even though party MLAs Suresh Bhardwaj and Ravinder Ravi had given a notice and sought discussion on the adjournment motion, they were not allowed to speak.
Dhumal said ED assistant director Singh, investigating the money laundering case against Subash Ahluwalia, principal private secretary to the chief minister, had alleged he was asked by the Chief Minister's Office to follow their directions or face consequences.
BJP MLAs Bhardwaj and Ravi said the state government had sought repatriation of Negi before the completion of his deputation in June 2016. It is a blatant attempt to influence the probe and the matter requires immediate discussions, they said.
The repatriation of Negi had been sought on the pretext of shortage of officers of additional Superintendent of Police (ASPs) rank as he (Negi) refused to succumb to pressure.
