Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan is demanding answers from opposition leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda after Congress held a mock assembly session following a boycott of the official proceedings, raising questions about the legitimacy of the state's legislative actions.
Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan on Tuesday sought a response from Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda over Congress holding an "unlawful" mock session outside the House after boycotting the day-long special sitting.
"Notice for holding unlawful so-called mock Assembly session in the parking lot of Haryana Vidhan Sabha and allegedly casting aspersions for conducting the legitimate legislative business by the Vidhan Sabha," the letter to the Leader of the Opposition mentioned.
The session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha was held on Monday in the chamber of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha here, the letter mentions.
The sitting of the Assembly commenced at 11 am on Monday. Prior to this, the Business Advisory Committee meeting, attended by Hooda along with others, was held at 10 am on the same day in the Speaker's Chamber, the letter mentions.
"I was informed of the so called mock session of the Assembly held by you (Hooda) and others in the parking lot of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, where the following matters are believed to have been raised: The allegation about the alleged unconstitutionality of duly organised session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha. The allegation that the official resolution on Nari Shakti Vandan Adhniyam was unconstitutional; and holding of parallel mock session of the Assembly in the parking lot of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha without my permission," the letter further mentions.
Hooda has been asked to send his response on these points within 10 days.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday slammed the Congress, saying by boycotting the special session and holding a mock session at the parking lot of the Assembly, the party had disrespected the House.
He said such actions amount to disrespect towards the Assembly, democratic values and the dignity of women.
Clarifying the intent of the official resolution that he moved in the Assembly on Monday, the chief minister said it was not political in nature and did not include the word "condemnation". He said the resolution was dedicated to the dignity, rights and empowerment of women.
Notably, the opposition Congress on Monday held a mock Assembly session after boycotting the day-long special sitting of the Haryana Assembly, with former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda accusing the BJP government of spreading confusion on the women's reservation issue.
The Congress MLAs said the House did not have the power to make laws on delimitation or women's reservation, and therefore, the state government convening a special sitting on them was unconstitutional.
They argued that the issue of women's reservation fell under the jurisdiction of the Centre, and not the state government.
At the parallel mock session held outside the Vidhan Sabha building in Sector 1 here, the Congress MLAs alleged that the BJP government was making a mockery of constitutional institutions.