Chandigarh: The Haryana assembly on Monday witnessed heated exchanges with the main opposition Congress demanding resignation of minister Sandeep Singh who is facing charges of molesting a woman coach and the chief minister rejecting the demand.
For the record, a first-time BJP MLA, Singh, a former captain of the Indian hockey team, who is the only Sikh minister in the chief minister Mannohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP combine government, holds the printing and stationery portfolio. The police had a few days ago submitted its final report before a local court. He had resigned as sports minister on ``moral grounds’’ after he was booked by Chandigarh police about eight months ago in a sexual harassment case lodged by a woman coach. Singh, had rebuked the charges stating that it was an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
Congress Demand for Resignation
Raising Singh's issue in the House on Monday immediately before the Zero Hour, leader of Opposition and former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda stood up demanding Singh’s resignation. As other Congress legislators raised the chorus, Speaker Gian Chand Gupta told them the issue could not be discussed in the House as the matter was sub-judice. However, the opposition benches insisted for Singh’s resignation or Khattar removed him from the Cabinet.
However, as the Congress MLAs kept up the demand and went to the Well of the House, chief minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, also the leader of the House, said that the opposition could not compel anyone on this as the matter was in the court.
Congress Walkout
He also tore into the opposition saying that people knew where the opposition stood on moral and ethical grounds and where the ruling party did.
However, when the Speaker warned the Congress legislators to take their seats else he would suspend them following which the latter staged a walkout.
The House also saw an uproar over the issue of Nuh violence.
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
