Haryana Assembly Adjourned After Uproar Over Minister Sandeep Singh's Resignation, Nuh Violence

As the Zero Hour began, members of the Congress, led by Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Hooda, were on their feet demanding Singh's resignation in connection with a sexual harassment allegation.

Haryana Assembly.

Source : PTI

The Haryana Assembly was postponed for 30 minutes on Monday amid outrage after the major opposition Congress demanded Minister Sandeep Singh's resignation in connection with a sexual harassment allegation, in addition to a discussion on the Nuh violence, news agency PTI reported. As the Zero Hour began, members of the Congress party, led by Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, were on their feet demanding Singh's resignation in response to a charge sheet filed against him by the Chandigarh Police. The opposition's demand for Singh's resignation was rejected by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Following the chief minister's remark, the governing BJP legislators, including Singh, banged the benches, while Congress members hurried to the Well of the House. The Speaker informed them that Singh's case was under consideration and that "no sub-judice matter can be discussed here."

Singh was in the chamber.

Hooda stated that they are asking Singh quit on moral grounds or that the chief minister fire him. As the commotion escalated, the Speaker cautioned the slogan-shouting Congress members to return to their seats or face being named (suspended).

The Chandigarh Police Department has filed a final report against Singh in court. A junior sports coach from Haryana had already accused the BJP politician of sexual harassment. Later in the House, MPs wanted a debate on the Nuh violence problem. In this regard, the Speaker stated that the case is still under consideration by the Supreme Court.

Hooda said: "Only the matter pertaining to the bulldozer action by the authorities in Nuh recently was pending before the high court".

"The chief minister had recently made a statement on the Nuh incident pointing towards a conspiracy. A discussion here on the issue will make things clear," he was quoted by PTI in its report.

Congress leader Kiran Choudhary stated that the issue of law and order is being raised and should be handled.

The basis of the Nuh violence, according to BJP member Satya Prakash, was established here in the House when Congress MLA Mamman Khan reportedly uttered some incendiary comments.

The House was recessed for 30 minutes amid the commotion.

After the House reconvened, BJP's Satya Prakash insisted on discussing the Mamman Khan case. However, the Speaker repeatedly said that the Nuh case is still under consideration.

Congress MLA B B Batra questioned why the Nuh violence, with the exception of the "bulldozer action part which is before the high court," cannot be debated in the Assembly if Parliament may consider the Manipur matter on which the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance.

The Nuh and Guguram violence, according to Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, is part of the subject before the high court and so cannot be mentioned in the House.

Batra and Hooda, on the other hand, demanded that the Speaker give his decision on the case.

Kiran Choudhary of the Congress said the sub-judice matter is simply about one problem and it doesn't imply that the overall law and order issue cannot be considered. "We want to know whether there was a law and order breakdown," she said.

Hooda stated that his party has been requesting a high court judge-monitored legal investigation into the Nuh violence, but the government has been avoiding it.

In the midst of the uproar, Home Minister Anil Vij stated that what occurred in Nuh was "very wrong."

"We are a secular nation in which people can practice the religion of their choice. In this context, VHP had taken out a Brij Mandal Yatra," he was quoted by PTI in its report.

The Speaker intervened, adding that if the state home minister begins to respond, then it will imply that the entire subject will be discussed. Vij, on the other hand, stated that he would not give a long statement, but would only address a few issues about the Nuh violence.

"As per the investigations so far, 500 people have been arrested and the role of people which is coming to the fore, points to the hand of the Congress," Vij said, eliciting an instant reaction from the Congress benches, with its MLAs chanting anti-state government slogans.

"Police issued a notice to Congress MLA Mamman Khan asking him to join the investigations in the Nuh incident. In the previous session, Khan had made a statement in the Assembly," Vij added.

The Speaker adjourned the House for a lunch break while the commotion persisted.

Communal violence occurred in Nuh and its surrounding villages on July 31 after a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession was ambushed by a crowd, killing six persons, including two house guards and a priest.

Days after the incident, a demolition campaign was launched in Nuh, which was brought before the high court on August 7, with Justice G S Sandhawalia and Justice Harpreet Kaur Jeevan taking suo motu cognisance and ordering a halt to the operation.

The top court has inquired if the demolition campaign was a "exercise of ethnic cleansing."