Opposition Congress MLAs in Haryana today held a mock assembly outside the Assembly campus in protest against the suspension of its three legislators.
Several Congress MLAs including former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kiran Chaudhary, Karan Singh Dalal took part in the mock assembly with MLA Shakuntala Khatak playing the part of 'Speaker'.
Speaking on this occasion, Surjewala said, "We are holding "people's assembly" here and whatever is happening inside the Haryana Assembly is a murder of democracy."
He accused the BJP government of "throwing" out its MLA from the Assembly in order to "suppress" the voice of common man.
"We are demanding that the suspension of our three MLAs should be revoked to allow them to participate in the House proceedings," he said.
On March 17, Haryana Speaker Kanwar Pal had revoked the suspension of 11 Congress MLAs including former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda here.
Fourteen Congress MLAs were suspended by the Speaker for disrupting the proceedings of the House on March 14.
Among 11 MLAs, whose suspension was revoked were former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Karan Singh Dalal, Kiran Chaudhary, Anand Singh Dangi.
However, the suspension of three MLAs -Kuldeep Sharma, Jaiveer Singh and Jagbir Malik, was not revoked.
Eleven MLAs were suspended till the conclusion of the discussion on Governor's address while three others who tore the copies of Governor's address, were suspended for six months.
Meanwhile, Kiran Choudhry, Leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party (CLP), described the Haryana Budget, presented by the Finance Minister today, as "nothing more than a recap of what the BJP Government, led by Manohar Lal Khattar, has been tirelessly repeating like a parrot for the past one year".
Showing no roadmap to the future, it has failed to live up to the expectations of the people and seems like a ship looking for its rudders.
In statement issued here today, the former Excise and Taxation Minister said that the Budget had avoided uncomfortable issues and kept studied silence on matters controversial.
On SYL, the lifeline of Haryana farmers, it merely reiterates the government's resolve but does not spell out its action plan to thwart Punjab's designs and protect the interests of the farmers of the state, she said.
The Budget makes no reference to the recent damage to
the crops caused by rain and hailstones and is also "mum" on acceptance of the Swaminathan Commission report, something the BJP had promised in the run-up to the Assembly polls, she said.
The concessions offered amount to nothing is borne out by the fact that the amount involved is not mentioned, Choudhry said.
"The BJP Government has almost doubled the duty on diesel in the first 18 months. People, especially the farmers, expected it to reduce the duty in the Budget but nothing has been done", Choudhry said.
It also does not refer to the demands of the state government employees for Punjab pay-scales, regularisation, and the recommendations made by the anomalies committee, she said.
The Budget brags about 'Happening Haryana' and claims to have signed MoUs worth Rs 5.84 lakh crore.
However, more than half of the projects will not reach the implementation stage, she alleged. But on the other side, 1,500 people working at HMT, Pinjore, have not been given their salaries for the last 19 months. HMT factory is on the verge of closure and majority of the middle section earn their livelihood from it.
The state government talks of start-ups but is allowing existing units to close down. Why invite new industry when HMT is being allowed to close down, she said.
The state government keeps promising to generate more employment opportunities and bringing large-scale industries to the state but on the other side it has cancelled the permits of 1,000 buses run by private societies which affects majority of the people in rural areas of the state. More than 10,000 families are dependent on these buses, she alleged.
(REOPENS NRG 46)
Haryana Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala
described the state budget as "deeply disappointing, growth negative and anti-people".
"People of Haryana, including economy - business - agriculturists, have given a thumbs down to this mere accounting exercise, which neither provides a road map for future nor gives the much needed relief to agriculture and small businesses," he said.
He said during "unreasoned and rabid" violence recently in the State, extensive damage was caused to shopkeepers, businesses and other institutions in different cities of the State.
Assocham has assessed the damage at nearly Rs 35,000 crore.
Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar had made a solemn promise of recouping of losses so suffered.
Unfortunately, Budget makes no special budgetary provision for the same.
Will Chief Minister and Finance Minister answer as to how do they propose to ensure timely payment of compensation for loss of property and businesses in absence of specific provisions in the Budget, he asked.
Farmers are another big casualty of the Budget.
While Budget boasts about payment of compensation after a year on account of 'white fly attack' to the cotton crop but makes no mention of non-payment of compensation for the same in districts like Kaithal and Jind despite the government survey recording the damage, Surjewala said.
