Cong stages walkout over health minister's swine flu remark

Congress MLAs, led by party chief whip Balwantsinh Rajput, today staged a walkout from the state assembly to protest the state Health Minister Nitin Patel's remarks that the Opposition might be feeling happy over the rising swine flu deaths in Gujarat.
During the discussion on the budgetary demands of Health Department, Patel said, "At a time when the swine flu deaths are on the rise, the Opposition might be feeling happy over it, while we (govt) are saddened over the development."
Enraged over Patel's statement, the Congress MLAs stood up in protest and demanded that the minister should withdraw his allegation.

Taking strong exception to the minister's remark, Congress Chief Whip Balvantsinh Rajput alleged, "The state government is doing nothing to contain the spread of swine flu, in spite of over 120 deaths due to it, while on the other hand, the minister is alleging that we felt happy about it."
"This is unacceptable and the minister should be asked to withdraw his statement," he demanded to which Patel claimed that he had not spoken any unparliamentary words.
However, Gujarat Assembly Speaker Vaju Vala rejected their demand, saying that if any unparliamentary words were found in the minister's speech, it would be deleted from the record.

Dissatisfied with the Speaker's reply, all the Congress MLAs walked out of the House and began shouting slogans against the government outside.
Later, the budgetary demands of Rs 2,627 crore for medical and public health were passed by the assembly by voice vote, in the absence of the main opposition Congress.