The winter session of the Haryana Legislative Assembly commenced in Chandigarh, with its first day marked by political drama as opposition Congress legislators staged a walkout. The protest was triggered by the House approving an extension for a privilege committee investigating an alleged incident involving party MLA Ashok Arora.
Walkout and No-Confidence Motion
The session, which began largely smoothly, took an abrupt turn towards its end. The Congress had demanded a discussion on the report concerning an alleged misbehaviour incident with MLA Ashok Arora during a Thanesar municipal council meeting. However, Speaker Harvinder Kalyan ruled that deliberations would be confined to the committee itself.
Committee chairman Moolchand Sharma presented the report and sought an extension of its tenure. When the House passed the proposal without any debate, Congress MLAs collectively walked out in protest. Speaking to the media afterward, Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra stated the opposition opposed the extension, alleging the government was trying to shield someone.
In a significant move, the Congress also moved a no-confidence motion against the government, which was accepted by the Speaker. Discussion on this motion is scheduled for the second sitting on Friday. Defending the move despite lacking a majority, Batra said it was a mechanism to expose the government's failures and corruption. He also raised concerns about "vote theft," alleging intensive and forcible voter list revisions by the Election Commission.
Unanimous Resolution and Heated Exchanges
Earlier in the day, the Assembly witnessed a moment of unity as it unanimously passed a resolution to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
However, the question hour saw sparks fly between Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal and Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda over the state of educational infrastructure. Bhukkal alleged her query had been inadequately answered. In a positive note, MLAs from Hisar district complimented the government and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini for declaring Hansi as the state's 23rd district. INLD MLA Aditya Devi Lal Chautala sought details on parameters for elevation to district status, while Cooperative Minister Arvind Sharma reiterated the demand for granting district status to Gohana.
CM's Assurances and Legislative Business
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini addressed several issues during the question hour. Responding to MLA Ram Karan on removing sand deposited in flood-affected fields, Saini said the government's priority was farmers' interests. He stated that teams were deployed to assess the situation and permissions would be granted where excessive sand accumulated, though initial findings suggested the deposition was not significant.
On a question about drinking water in Rohtak from MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra, the CM affirmed that ensuring adequate drinking water was the government's utmost responsibility. He detailed efforts, including the proposed transfer of 16 acres of MC land for a reservoir and the repair and capacity enhancement of a malfunctioning pump on Sonipat Road.
The first day also saw substantial legislative work, with a total of eight bills being tabled. These included amendment bills for several prominent shrines like Shri Mata Mansa Devi, Sheetla Devi, and Bhimeshwari Devi, as well as The Haryana Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, The Haryana Panchayati Raj (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025, and The Haryana Municipalities Bill, 2025.
