Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly was rocked by chaos over the termination of outsourced personnel, causing a heated budget session on Tuesday. The opposition, demanding discussion on the matter, gave an adjournment motion under Rule 67, which was rejected by the Speaker, leading to a walkout by the opposition. The issue has become a hot topic in Himachal Pradesh, leading to the ruling government announcing an inquiry against the company responsible for the recruitment of outsourced personnel during the previous government’s tenure.
The chaos also saw the Leader of the Opposition receiving a warning for violating House rules. According to the Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition violated Rule 299 and sub-rule 12 by showing his back to the seat. The Speaker condemned the behaviour and warned the Leader of the Opposition not to repeat the same in the future.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the Congress government has not fired any outsourced workers, and the termination could happen only when the contract expires on March 31. The government has decided to recruit 5,000 personnel and will take a policy decision regarding outsourced workers. A cabinet sub-committee has been formed to look into the issue.
The BJP MLAs raised slogans against the government and sat down in the well for some time, causing a delay in the Question Hour. However, the Speaker started the Question Hour amidst the noise of the opposition. Expressing protest, the BJP MLAs walked out of the Assembly after sloganeering.
The issue has become a contentious one, leading to political debates and discussions in Himachal Pradesh. The chaos in the Assembly has attracted media attention, and the matter is likely to continue to be a topic of discussion in the coming days.
