After a prolonged spell of disruption, the proceedings in the Rajasthan assembly started on a smooth note on Wednesday, but pandemonium, sloganeering, and a walkout soon returned in the House as the Opposition Congress members protested against “dissatisfactory replies” from ministers.
In contrast to a stormy beginning of the House proceedings on the opening day of the monsoon session on Monday and also during several sittings in the previous budget session, the assembly proceedings began smoothly with the Question Hour.
Besides discussing a number of starred questions during the Question hour, the House also discharged legislative business in the afternoon.
The House debated and passed the Rajasthan Coaching Centers Regulatory Bill by a voice vote. This bill was referred to the House Select Committee for revisions and reforms in the budget session in January-March 2025.
Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari raised slogans against LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. While the House was discussing the Coaching Centers Regulatory Bill, the Deputy Chief Minister discreetly raised the slogan “Mahila Virodhi Rahul Gandhi” – Nari Virodhi Rahul Gandhi”. Some ruling party members joined in; however, this did not gain much momentum.
Members on the opposition benches were not satisfied with the replies from the ministers concerned. The trouble was triggered when the Energy Minister, Heera Lal Nagar, made a reference to the previous Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government’s decision in the matter of replacing old electricity meters with smart meters.
Congress Member Rohit Bohra raised the question about the smart meter scheme and “irregularities” in its implementation. Bohra and other members demanded that the irregularities be looked into and the scheme be withdrawn. Minister Nagar said, “The scheme was introduced by the then Congress-led government in 2022.” This agitated the opposition Congress members, and they trooped into the well, raising slogans.
Opposition members staged a walkout but returned soon after to participate in further proceedings.
Outside the House, the grand old party members this morning protested at the Western Gate of the assembly building against the “apathy” of the state government over the issue of the death of seven students in Piplodi-Jhalawar and one each in Jaisalmer and Udaipur in the school ceiling collapse mishaps.
The opposition MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, held a condolence meeting at the gate to pay tributes to the 9 deceased school children in the ceiling collapse incidents.
“This government has RS 3500 crore for the Bharat Mandapam project but no funds for repairing and renovating dilapidated classrooms,” Jully and Pilot said and demanded resignation from Education Minister Madan Dilawar.
The Opposition members also protested against the non-inclusion of the deceased children’s names in the obituary references in the House. ”That is why we have organised a condolence meeting here today,” Pilot said.
The opposition members attended the House proceedings wearing black bands on their arms as a mark of protest over the issue.
Outside the House, LoP Jully said that the opposition wanted to run the House smoothly, but the minister’s reply was unsatisfactory on the centrally imposed scheme of smart electricity meters.
Whip of Opposition Congress, Rafeek Khan, said, “We would not allow the adoption of smart meters; we would protest against it.”