The general discussion on budget 2015-16 was postponed in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly as the opposition Congress members earlier boycotted the proceeding in the House.
As soon as the Question Hour started Monday, Leader of Opposition T S Singhdeo raised the issue of a report published in a local newspaper based on a sting operation that interviewed Civil Corporation official S S Bhatt booked after Rs 1.70 crore cash was recovered from his office that was unaccounted. The official named his superior and minister who the money had been transferring.
The opposition members demanded the resignation of Food Minister Punnulal Mohile and demanded a probe by Central Bureau of Investigation.
They also raised the issue of state government's alleged failure to pay bonus to the farmers for the paddy procured by the authorities at minimum support price (MSP).
The Congress party had announced gherao of Legislative Assembly in support of its demand of granting bonus to the farmers for paddy. They created ruckus in the House and later walked out stating that they had been boycotting the proceedings as the state government had cheated the farmers.
The general discussion on the annual budget 2015-16 was supposed to on Monday. The members from the treasury benches started discussion. Three BJP members had spoken when Speaker Gourishankar Agrawal announced to adjourn the House for the day.
"Normally, budget discussion is held when both treasury and opposition members are presented in the House," the Speaker said. Since the opposition members were not present in the House, it was not good practice to continue with the discussion, he added.
Honouring the rich parliamentary tradition, Agrawal said, adding that the discussion on budget should not continue in the absence of opposition members. Hence the House stand adjourned till Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, heavy bandobast of the police also could not foil the Congress agitation of Vidhan Sabha gherao.
A group of Congress activists, mostly women, dodged the police and reached the gate No 3 of the Assembly raising slogan against Chief Minister Raman Singh.
About a dozen Congress activists staging demonstration outside Chhattisgarh Assembly stunned the authorities. Senior officials rushed to the spot and cleared the activities from the venue.
