CHANDIGARH: The Haryana assembly session will resume on Thursday amid uncertainty over the Congress-moved private-member bills against the central agri-marketing laws, as the speaker goes for legal opinion.
Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and his secretariat are yet to take call on the Congress motion, while Abhay Singh Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) also moved a private bill on Wednesday evening, seeking guaranteed MSP and punitive measures in case the procurement agencies fail to pay this minimum support price for the crop. Private-member bills are moved by non-ministers.
Referring to the Congress-moved private bill, speaker Gian Chand Gupta said: “The initial proposal was against the ordinances that have become an Act now. We have sent their amended proposal to the legal department for opinion on whether or not the state can amend the laws that both houses of Parliament have approved. Rest, we are hopeful of a good and calm legislative business during the session. We have many bills to discuss.”
The other issues that may trigger arguments include law and order, atrocities against Dalits, unemployment, and the civil servants’ resentment against the deployment of police officers in their cadre. Leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said: “The government has failed on all fronts. What do they have to show in the name of one year’s achievements? Nothing.”
Referring to the arrangements, Gupta said everyone—“the CM, ministers, MLAs, officials, and staff”— will follow the pandemic protocols and carry their Covid-negative certificates. We have told the legislators to get tested at home, while we have also organised a special camp on the assembly premises.” The Congress MLAs with an aggressive plan include Tosham’s Kiran Choudhary, Dabwali’s Amit Singh, Jagbir Malik, and Pardeep Chaudhary. Geeta Bhukkal also had a question but she is in hospital with Covid-19.