Opposition BJP created an uproar in Uttarakhand Assembly on the opening day of its session here today demanding a CBI probe into the sting CD episode and an immediate debate on it in the House forcing two adjournments of the proceedings before lunch.
As soon as the session began at 11 AM with a rendition of Vande Matram, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Bhatt raised the demand of a CBI probe into the sting CD expose involving a senior official of the state government which surfaced three months ago and an immediate debate on the issue in the House.
Terming the sting CD expose as a serious case of corruption in high offices, Bhatt demanded that the scheduled business of the House be kept aside and a debate be immediately held on the issue.
Other BJP members also stood from their seats in solidarity with Bhatt to build pressure on Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal for a debate.
Some of the BJP members also rushed to the Speaker's chair in support of their demand.
Kunjwal asked them to resume their seats but the bedlam persisted prompting him to adjourn the proceedings till 11:45 AM.
No sooner had the proceedings of the House begun than opposition MLAs were back on their feet noisily raising their twin demands again.
The speaker requested them to go back to their seats but to no avail and finally the House was adjoruned again till 12.20 hrs.
However, before the House was adjourned for a second time before lunch, a two-minute silence was observed by members as a tribute to lateformer PresidentA P J Abdul Kalam.
A sting CD allegedly showing Chief Minister Harish Rawat's former secretary Mohammad Shahid negotiating a bribery deal with a middleman for liquor licences had surfaced in the month of July creating a veritable political storm in Uttarakhand.
However, Shahid, a senior IAS officer who was posted on deputation in the CMO was immediately removed as secretary to CM following the episode by the state government.
He was also recalled to Delhi soon after that cutting short his tenure of deputation.
Noisy scenes were witnessed again when the House reassembled at 12.20 hrs but the Speaker issued directives to take up House business scheduled for the day amid prevailing bedlam during which legislations providing for reservation to identified statehood agitationists in government jobs and revising pension of assembly members were tabled.
This is the second time a session of the state assembly is being held in Gairsain, a town in Chamoli district of Garhwal which is close to Kumaon region as well.
Gairsain is an emotive issue in Uttarakhand with a section of statehood agitationists in favour of the remote hill town being declared the permanent capital of the state.
