The Uttarakhand Char Dham Shrine Management Bill was tabled in the assembly on Monday even as the Congress strongly opposed the legislation and staged a dharna in the Well of the House, causing several adjournments which took up the entire Question Hour.
The assembly was adjourned twice amid the opposition's demand that the Bill be withdrawn.
The Bill seeks to create a char dham shrine board that will run the affairs of 51 temples across Uttarakhand, including the four famous Himalayan shrines.
When repeated requests by Speaker Prem Chandra Agrawal seeking cooperation from Congress members to run the proceedings went in vain, Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj tabled the Bill in the House amid continuing slogan shouting by opposition MLAs.
The opposition alleged that it was not taken into confidence over the Bill which had also caused great resentment among the teerth-purohits who felt creation of the shrine management board will hurt their interests.
The statement of objects and reasons of the Uttarakhand Char Dham Shrine Management Bill, 2019 says creation of the body will be a "milestone for the rejuvenation of Shri Badrinath, Shri Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and other famous temples located in the state."
Even before the scheduled business for the day could be taken up, opposition MLAs led by Leader of Opposition Indira Hridayesh rose from their seats, accusing the state government of intending to pass the Bill in a hush-hush manner.
"The teerth-purohits have reservations about the Bill and we have also been kept in the dark about its provisions. When we demanded a copy of the proposed legislation we were told we will be given the document only after it was tabled in the assembly," Hridayesh said.
She said the Bill should either be withdrawn or referred to a standing committee.
The speaker requested the MLAs to take their seats and let the proceedings of the House scheduled for the day to begin.
However, Congress MLAs including Pritam Singh, Govind Singh Kunjwal, Karan Mahra, Harish Dhami and several others stormed the well shouting slogans against the state government demanding withdrawal of the Bill.
They also sat on a dharna inside the well shouting slogans that "insult of the assembly as well as the Char Dham will not be tolerated".
When repeated requests by the chair asking the Congress MLAs to resume their chairs fell on deaf ears, the House was adjourned for 15 minutes till 11.30 am.
The opposition members did not leave the well even during the adjournment.
When the House re-assembled, Congress members resumed sloganeering and refused to go back to their chairs.
The speaker then ordered another adjournment till 12 pm which was extended till 12.20 pm and then till 12.30 pm.
When the House re-assembled after the wash-out of the Question Hour, the opposition members took their seats at the request of the speaker as obituary references had to be made to former members who had passed away.
However, immediately after the obituaries were offered, the Congress members returned to the Well and shouted slogans like "Dharm virodhi sarkar nahi chalegi nahi chalegi " (government opposed to religion won't work).
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
