Opposition creates ruckus over Chardham board bill in Uttarakhand Assembly

The opposition Congress on Monday created a ruckus in the Uttarakhand Assembly demanding withdrawal of the proposed legislation on Chardham shrine board forcing several adjournments of the House.

Even before the proceedings of the House began, opposition MLAs led by Leader of Opposition Indira Hridayesh rose from their seats accusing the state government of intending to pass the Uttarakhand Char Dham Shrine Management Bill quietly without taking members of the House into confidence.

"The teerth-purohits have reservations about the Bill and we have been kept in the dark about its provisions. When we demanded a copy of the proposed legislation, we were told the document will be given only after it was tabled in the Assembly," Hridayesh said.

Speaker Prem Chandra Agrawal requested the MLAs to be seated and let the proceedings of the House scheduled for the day to begin.

However, Congress MLAs including Pritam Singh, Govind Singh Kunjwal, Karan Mahra, Harish Dhami and several others stormed the well shouting slogans against the state government demanding withdrawal of the Bill.

They also staged a sit-in inside the well shouting slogans that "insult" of the Assembly as well as the Chardham will not be tolerated.

When repeated requests by the chair asking the Congress MLAs to resume their chairs fell on deaf ears, the House was adjourned for 15 minutes till 11.30 am.

The opposition members, though, did not leave the well. When the House re-assembled, they resumed their chants again refusing to go back to their chairs.

The speaker then ordered another adjournment till 12 which was later extended till 12.20.

The Bill is scheduled to be tabled in the State Assembly later in the day.