On the last day of budget session of Gujarat Assembly today, all the Congress MLAs present in the house except two were suspended by the speaker for shouting slogans.
Leader of opposition Shankersinh Vaghela and Abdasa MLA Shaktisinh Gohil were the only two Congress MLAs who were not suspended. Yesterday too all the Congress MLAs present in the house had been suspended by the speaker Vaju Vala for a day.
Today, the state government tabled reports of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on several government schemes, departments and PSUs.
Gohil questioned the delay. "Why CAG reports are tabled on the last day? Probably because the government doesn't want any discussion on corruption and inflation," he said.
"We requested to you in writing that CAG reports must be tabled earlier. Now there is no scope for a debate," Vaghela said to the speaker Vala.
However, the speaker defended government's decision. "CAG reports are given to Public Accounts Committee, which prepares a report. We can only discuss that report in the house, not the CAG reports," said Vala.
Gohil, however, cited a ruling given by a former speaker. "A former speaker asked the government to table the CAG reports within one week of announcing the budget, so that it can help in discussions. Thus the speaker can ask the government to table it earlier," Gohil said.
But Vala claimed that there was no rule. "Former speaker only made suggestions, did not give any orders which are binding now. I don't see any violation of rules if CAG reports are tabled late," he said.
