The Himachal Pradesh Assembly was adjourned for the third day today as the government and the opposition clashed over the state's "deteriorating" law and order situation.
As soon as the House assembled, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh started making a suo moto statement even before the question hour but BJP members obstructed the proceedings.
Speaker Brij Behari Lal Butail tried to pacify opposition BJP members but they were unrelenting and asked how the chief minister was permitted to make the statement, while insisting that their notice for an adjournment motion to discuss the "deterioratinglaw and order situation" under rule 67 should be admitted.
BJP members cited recent cases of crimes against women and alleged there was rise in crime as the government's soft attitude towards criminals has emboldened them.
The gang rape and murder of a schoolgirl at Kotkhai last month is one such case for which they blamed the government.
Former CM and leader of opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal said the chief minister was triggering avoidable controversies by making derogatory remarks againstmembers of a particular community in public.
He said anti-social elements are having a free run due to tardy investigation in the gang rape and murder case which was followed by a trail of crime in other parts of the state.
He alleged the law and order situationhad worsened under the current Congress rule.
Dhumal tried to hold the chair responsible for disruption of proceedings, stating that if the Speaker had allowed a discussion under rule 67, the deadlock would not have continued for the third day.
"A wrong message would be sent to the people that the state government is not serious on the deteriorating law and order situation," he said and sought the chief minister's apology for allegedly using "unparliamentary language" against the opposition members and insulting them.
When there was no response from the ruling benches, the BJP members again resorted to slogan shouting and trooped into the well of the House.
As the Speaker proceeded with the question hour, the protests became louder and the house was adjourned for fifteen minutes.
The situation was no different when the House reassembled and the BJP members trooped into the well of the house and continued raising slogans.
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