Opposition BJP in state assembly stick to its stand as it boycotted budget session for fourth consecutive day today, moreover, government appealed them to join house soon.
All the 26 members of BJP did not turn up in the house even today as it had given call to boycott the budget and rest of session creating deadlock in the assembly, forcing the treasury benches to run house in its absence for last four days.
Most of business in the house was transacted in absence of opposition including presentation of budget. However, BJP had blamed the Congress legislative party to deliberately keep them away from the session taking adamant posture over deadlock.
Breaking ice today, Congress senior leader and Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur made a statement in the house appealing them to end their protest and participate in the proceedings.
“It is very unfortunate that all the members of opposition were boycotting proceedings of house for some time for which they were accusing the government to not resolve the stalemate. I would urge them to join the house as it does not look good for us (treasury benches) if they (opposition) stay away from house like this”, Mr. Thakur who had been former speaker and parliamentary minister in house earlier, said in sober tone.
“Congress legislative party tried its best to end the deadlock as it had convened and attended meeting with opposition leaders including its chief whip but they were still abstaining from the house,” Mr. Thakur said.
“I would appeal to them to participate in the budget session as Congress legislative party want them in the house forgetting the differences. BJP is also organising rally of its prime ministerial candidate Narinder Kumar Modi at Sujanpur on February 16, 2014, therefore, many of them are likely to be busy in arrangements, but I would request them to turn up in the remaining seatings of house on February 17 onwards,” Health Minister appealed.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was not in the house today as he was attending President Pranab Kumar Mukharjee convocation address of Central University Himachal Pradesh at Shahpur in Kangra district.
BJP members were perturbed over Chief Minister’s remarks against them which appeared in section of media recently in which Mr. Singh had referred them as ‘bounded labourers of a particular family.’
Thereafter it was protesting and boycotting house seeking apology, and has also given notice to bring breach of privilege motion against Mr. Singh to be accepted by the speaker Brij Behari Lal Butail.
“The house is like without soul if opposition stayed away from the house like this, but there is no consorted effort from Congress legislative party to end the deadlock. They are running house without presence of opposition, which is deliberate move by the government to keep it away”, BJP spokesman Ganesh Dutt told the media.
