Rajasthan Congress MLAs continue dharna in assembly

JAIPUR: Chaos prevailed in the Rajasthan assembly on Wednesday as Congress MLAs continued with their dharna over the demand of complete loan waiver for the farmers.

The Congress MLAs have been staging a dharna (sit-in) in the well of the house since Monday afternoon. The protesting MLAs spent the night in the well on Tuesday and announced to continue the dharna on Wednesday, even after the house was adjourned for the day.

As the house assembled at 11 am for the day's session, the Congress MLAs continued to raise slogans against the government and demanded it immediately announce a complete loan waiver for the farmers.

Despite their protest and the chaos in the house, Speaker Kailash Meghwal continued with the proceedings and the question hour was held. However, with Congress continuing with their slogans and a few of them making speeches to the group, Meghwal criticized their conduct. "It is sad that a handful of MLAs are displaying a shameful behavior and disrupting the proceedings of the house for all," he said.

Unruly scenes and uproar was witnessed in the house as allegation and counter-allegations were exchanged between the treasury and opposition benches in the house.

Parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore, after the question hour, informed the Speaker that the government was ready for a debate over farmer woes and give a reply to all the allegations leveled by the Congress legislators. Home minister Gulabchand Kataria also lashed out at the Congress for their "crocodile tears". "The Congress, which in its 50 years has not waived off a penny, has no moral right to demand a complete loan waiver," said Kataria.