Dhankhar revokes suspension of 11 Opposition Rajya Sabha MPs ahead of Budget Session
The MPs were suspended during the Winter Session of Parliament in December last year.
The Opposition Congress raised the issue of suspension of Opposition MPs in the Rajasthan assembly on the first day of the 16th Legislative Assembly during the oath-taking ceremony for newly-elected legislators.
All Congress MLAs, including former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and PCC President Govind Singh Dotasara, entered the house with black bands tied to their arms.
Dotasara raised the issue of the suspension of Opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha soon after taking oath as a member of the assembly. Calling it murder of democracy, he said, “We condemned the action taken against the MPs and will strongly oppose it.”
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The Protem Speaker tried to stop Dotasara from making the comments from the desk of oath while members of the ruling BJP objected to it but he went on with his statement.
As the House assembled, Congress MLA Shanti Dhariwal raised a Point of Order asking the Protem Speaker why the session was called suddenly within 24 hours of notice. Is it a ‘bhajan mandli’ (hymn-recital band) called at such a short notice? “The session shall begin with the Governor’s address,” he reminded.
In his reply, the Protem Speaker said that it was a two-day session called specifically to administer the oath of office to the newly-elected MLAs.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma was the first to take the oath by the Constitution, followed by Deputy Chief Ministers, Diya Kumari, and Prem Chand Bairwa, before 191 of 199 the MLAs being administered the oath. Eight MLAs (five from the BJP and three from the Congress) did not turn up at the oath-taking ceremony.
Thirteen MLAs opted to take oath in the Sanskrit language, but the House refused to allow Kolayat MLA Anshuman Singh Bhati to take oath in the Rajasthani language citing the 8th Schedule of the Constitution which does not include the language.
The House was adjourned for the day after the oath.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Vasudeo Devnani filed his nomination papers for the post of Speaker. The election for the post will be held tomorrow when the House reassembles for the second day.
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