Rajasthan Assembly Adjourned Amid Heated Exchange Over Speaker's Intervention
High drama unfolded in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Thursday during the debate on demands for grants for the rural development and Panchayati Raj department. The withdrawal of permission granted to Congress MLA Shravan Kumar to speak led to the adjournment of the House for 30 minutes, followed by a walkout by Congress legislators.
Speaker's Sudden Intervention Sparks Controversy
The controversy began when Kumar was initially allowed by the presiding officer to participate in the debate on grant demands. He had just started presenting his views when Speaker Vasudev Devnani entered the House and intervened abruptly. Stopping the MLA mid-speech, Devnani stated, "I already told you not today. You were speaking for six days. I will allow you to speak later, but not today. I will not tolerate disobedience of my orders."
The Speaker also warned the presiding officer against allowing anyone to speak without his explicit permission. This intervention immediately drew strong protests from Opposition members, creating a tense atmosphere in the Assembly.
Opposition Leader Raises Point of Order
Despite the initial disruption, proceedings briefly resumed, with Dag MLA Kaluram continuing the debate. However, the issue flared up again when Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully raised a point of order. Jully termed the withdrawal of Kumar's permission as an insult to the member and an attack on legislative decorum.
Government chief whip Jogeshwar Garg objected to Jully's intervention, leading to a heated exchange between treasury and Opposition benches. Jully asserted that Opposition members were not present in the House "out of anyone's kindness" and would not tolerate disrespect toward an elected representative.
"If you want to run the House with such bullying, then do so — this is not the way," Jully declared amid loud protests from both sides.
Adjournment and Subsequent Walkout
As tempers escalated and sloganeering intensified, the House was adjourned for 30 minutes to cool tensions. When proceedings resumed, the debate on demands for grants continued, but Congress MLAs staged a coordinated walkout in protest, boycotting the remaining proceedings of the day.
Opposition Alleges Undermining of Assembly Traditions
Speaking to mediapersons afterward, Jully alleged that the dignity and traditions of the Assembly were being systematically undermined. "The Assembly has a history of maintaining decorum. This time, there seems to be a continuous attempt to weaken the House. Time is allotted for discussions on grant demands. Our MLA was speaking within his allotted time when the Speaker intervened," he explained.
The incident highlights growing tensions in the Rajasthan Assembly, with Opposition members accusing the ruling party of using procedural maneuvers to stifle debate. The rural development and Panchayati Raj department's grant demands debate, which should have focused on developmental issues, instead became overshadowed by parliamentary procedure disputes.
This marks another chapter in the ongoing political friction within the state legislature, raising questions about the preservation of democratic norms and respectful discourse in India's legislative bodies.
