Ruckus in Haryana Assembly, INLD MLAs suspended

Uproarious scenes were witnessed in the Haryana Assembly today forcing its adjournment thrice on issues including SYL canal and the alleged "land allotment" to yoga guru Ramdev's Patajali Yogpeeth by the BJP-led state government.
Din also prevailed in the House after legislators of the main opposition party INLD targeted Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala alleging his party's anti-Haryana stance on the Satluj-Yamuna Link canal issue before they were suspended by the Speaker.
During the Question Hour, things took an ugly turn soon after Toursim Minister Ram Bilas Sharma replied to a question raised by BJP MLA Latika Sharma who sought to know if the government had any proposal to develop Morni area in her constituency Kalka into a tourist spot.

The BJP and the Congress members indulged in heated exchange after Congress leader Karan Singh Dalal alleged the government was giving land to Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth for development of a herbal forest at Morni in Panchkula "without following" due procedures.
Dalal claimed that Ramdev, who was appointed as brand ambassador by the Manohar Lal Khattar government for promotion of Yoga and Ayurveda, was being extended "undue benefit" by the present regime and costly land in Morni had "been doled out to him".
Health Minister Anil Vij clarified that no land had been transferred to Patanjali Yogpeeth and only an MoU with Patanjali Anusandhan Sansthan Divya Yog Mandir Trust, Haridwar, was signed for developing World Herbal Forest in Morni.

Vij said Ramdev will neither take any financial or commercial benefit from this project, nor would he have right of ownership of the land, to which a Congress member quipped, "Seth Ramdev kaho (call him Seth Ramdev)".

However, Dalal questioned Vij's locus standi in answering the question, with the minister hitting back in an angry tone and asking the Congress member to take his seat.
Dissatisfied with the reply of the ministers, the Congress MLAs started to walk out of the House when state Cooperation Minister Manish Grover passed some remarks, which infuriated them.
The BJP members pointed out that Congress MLA Kuldeep Sharma had used similar words for Vij in the House earlier, but Sharma said he had already expressed regret.

The Congress legislators rushed to the Well of the House on three occasions in protest, asking the Speaker to tell Grover to tender an apology.
"His (Grover's) remarks are also an insult to the two senior woman legislators of the Congress -- Geeta Bhukkal and Shakuntala Khatak, both of whom belong to the Dalit community," Surjewala said, demanding an apology from Grover.
Later, Leader of Opposition and INLD senior leader Abhay
Singh Chautala, who walked in after the Question Hour, claimed the presence of Congress in-charge (communications) of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Surjewala during release of the party's manifesto for Punjab elections showed that he endorsed the proposal against the SYL canal.

Notably, Surjewala had joined other senior leaders of the Congress, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, when the election manifesto for the Punjab polls, which were held on February 4, was released in Delhi in January this year.
Chautala claimed that Surjewala was "against SYL waters for Haryana" and while passing some personal remarks against him, requested the Speaker that such persons "who compromise state's interests be sent out of this august House".
Other legislators of the INLD came in support of their senior leader and raised slogans against Surjewala and the Congress party.
As the ruckus continued, Speaker Kanwar Pal adjourned the House for 20 minutes and called both the ruling and opposition legislators in his chamber for a meeting.

After the first break, the House was adjourned for another 30 minutes, but when it resumed, the Speaker at the outset urged the members to exercise restraint and not create ruckus.
He then asked an INLD member to read out his Calling Attention Notice given by him on the issue of cattle smuggling.
Still the INLD legislators were up on their legs and targeting Surjewala.
The Speaker then named the INLD legislators suspending them for the remainder of the day and again adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
Despite the adjournment, the main opposition members continued to occupy seats for nearly 13 minutes and after lot of pleading from the police officers, the House marshals and the Vidhan Sabha staff, they left the House.

However, on the request of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, the suspension of the INLD legislators was later revoked.
Finance Minister Abhimanyu in a dig at Surjewala's maiden appearance in the House during the ongoing budget session today, said, "He has come in guest appearance and is now using threatening gestures towards the Chair and raising questions."
Surjewala again pleaded before the Chair: "You are the custodian of this House and you have to protect our rights... The minister (Grover) should apologise or else the House cannot run in such a situation."
At this, the BJP members said Surjewala was misleading the House.

As the ruckus continued, the Speaker told members both from the ruling benches and the opposition not to use unparliamentary language in the House and exercise restraint.
"I urge both ruling and opposition members not to use any unparliamentary word. It does not behove members that I have to expung the remarks later. Both sides, ruling benches and the opposition should exercise restraint. People, who have elected you expect that you will raise issues pertaining to them here in this House, but they too will be disappointed by this situation," the Speaker lamented.