Raj govt rejects Cong demand for panel to probe lathicharge

Rajasthan Government today rejected the Congress's demand to set up a probe panel to investigate the alleged lathicharge on its workers, prompting the party MLAs to stage a walk out from the House.
Before Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria's reply on demand for grants for the police and jail departments, Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi demanded the government set up a committee on the lathicharge issue.
He said the Congress members have a video footage which they wanted the minister to take into account before making a decision in this regard.
Congress whip Govind Singh Dotasara also raised the same demand saying a committee should be set up so that the matter could be probed.

Kataria said he was moderate on the matter and suggested that the Speaker should take a decision after viewing the video footage.
Congress whip said the party MLAs will not listen to the minister's reply unless the government announces formation of a committee. Irked by it, the minister rejected the demand saying 'no committee at all'.

Kataria said he will not bow before the Opposition's demand and will not make any announcement or say what the Opposition wants him to.
After the minister's reaction, the Speaker also refused to intervene in the matter saying the government has given its answer on the matter and no discussion will be allowed.

Protesting the rejection of their demands, the Opposition Congress members staged a walk out of the House.
Independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal also walked of the House.
Beniwal and eight Congress MLAs were suspended on March 3 for disrupting the House proceedings over the issue of lathicharge on the protest rally in which PCC President Sachin Pilot and Congress MLA Ashok Chandna were allegedly injured. Their suspension was revoked on March 13.