The members of Haryana's main Opposition party INLD today staged a walkout from the House, seeking a resolution to condemn a Congress MLA for allegedly compromising the state's interest in the Sutlej-Yamuna-Link (SYL) canal issue.
Leader of the Opposition Abhay Chautala, without taking names, said the Congress MLA's presence at the release of his party's manifesto for the Punjab election showed that he endorsed the proposal against the construction of the SYL canal.
"Thereby, he (the Congress MLA) compromised the interests of Haryana," Chautala said during the Zero Hour of the Haryana Assembly's Budget Session here.
He said if the resolution was not brought, it would be considered that the treasury benches supported those against the interests of the state.
The senior INLD leader also asked the Speaker "why he remained soft on other Opposition members while INLD legislators were 'named' in the House yesterday".
When Speaker Kanwal Pal Gujjar did not allow the resolution, INLD members walked out.
Yesterday, Chautala had taken a dig at senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala in the House for his presence at the release of his party's manifesto for the Punjab election.
The House, on the last day of the Budget Session, also witnessed a verbal spat between Haryana Minister Kavita Jain and Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal.
The argument broke out after Bhukkal questioned the Speaker on why a condemnation resolution was brought against her on March 8.
To this, Jain accused Bhukkal of making personal allegations against her.
On March 8, Jain had broken into tears in the Assembly when Bhukkal made some personal remarks against her, prompting the House to pass a resolution against the act.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Anil Vij said because of "excellent" health services, Haryana's Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has been recorded as 36 per 1,000 live births in the Sample Registration System 2015.
Vij, who was replying to a question raised by MLA Santosh Chauhan Sarwan, said to further reduce IMR, the government was implementing several programmes, including Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, Mother's Absolute Affection Programme, Micronutrient Supplementation Programme and Robust Routine Immunization Programme.
Apart from this, Special Newborn Care Units (SNCU),
Newborn Stabilisation Units (NBSU) and Newborn Care Corners (NBCC) have been established, the Minister said.
Replying to another question, he said of the 83 doctors recruited for the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College 68 have assumed charge and around 43 more doctors are required in the college.
Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said government schools are being upgraded as per requirement.
The Government High School for Girls, Bithmada, has been upgraded to Government Senior Secondary School for Girls and if the local MLA makes a written request, the high school for boys will also be upgraded, he said.
The Minister was replying to a question raised by MLA, Anoop Dhanak.
In a written reply to a question raised by MLA Balkaur Singh regarding upgrade of schools in Kalanwali Assembly constituency, Sharma said it was being considered to upgrade two government high schools and three government secondary schools of the constituency.
The Minister said proposal to upgrade government high schools in Pakka Shahidan and Panihari, secondary schools in Raghuana, Bhangu and Rohri was under consideration.
