A session of the Haryana Legislative Assembly meant to commemorate 150 years of the national song 'Vande Mataram' descended into chaos on Thursday, marked by scuffles, heated exchanges, and the eventual suspension of two opposition legislators. The incident highlighted the deep political fissures in the state.
From Commemoration to Confrontation
The trouble began during a discussion on a resolution to mark 150 years of 'Vande Mataram'. Congress MLA B.B. Batra raised a point of order, questioning the procedural validity of the discussion. He argued that the resolution was not listed on the day's official agenda, or 'List of Business'. This procedural objection quickly escalated into a major confrontation.
As Speaker Gian Chand Gupta overruled the point of order, Congress members gathered near the Speaker's podium, raising slogans. The situation intensified when Congress legislator B.B. Batra allegedly snatched papers from the hands of BJP MLA Sanjay Singh. This act triggered a physical scuffle between members of the treasury and opposition benches, bringing the house proceedings to a halt.
Suspension and Walkout
In response to the uproar, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kanwar Pal moved a motion for the suspension of the two Congress MLAs at the centre of the controversy: B.B. Batra and Jagbir Singh Malik. The motion was passed by a voice vote, leading to their suspension for the remainder of the session.
Protesting this decision, Congress members, led by former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, staged a walkout from the assembly. Hooda criticized the ruling BJP-JJP coalition, accusing it of undermining democratic norms and using the assembly to play politics over a sacred national song.
Political Accusations Fly
The event sparked a war of words between the major political parties. The Congress accused the government of deliberately bypassing parliamentary procedures to push the resolution without proper notice, calling it a political stunt. They contended that the government's intent was not genuine respect for the song but to create a dramatic scene.
On the other side, the BJP government, led by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, condemned the behavior of the Congress MLAs. They framed the opposition's actions as disrespectful to the sanctity of 'Vande Mataram' and an attempt to disrupt a moment of national pride. The treasury benches asserted that the Congress was frustrated by its diminishing political space and was resorting to obstructionist tactics.
The resolution to commemorate the 150-year journey of 'Vande Mataram', authored by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, was ultimately passed by the assembly amid the charged atmosphere. However, the day will be remembered more for the unprecedented ruckus than for the tribute it intended to pay.
This incident underscores the increasingly volatile nature of political discourse in Haryana's legislative body, where procedural disagreements rapidly transform into full-blown confrontations, raising concerns about the functioning of state democracy.
