Dal scam: Assembly adjourned several times

As the House assembled for the second day of the second phase of the Budget Session, Leader of Opposition and senior Congress legislator Bhupinder Singh asked about the fate of their special mentions relating to the scam.

Though it was mandatory for the government to give reply on the special mention within 48 hours, the Opposition had been kept in dark over the fate of their moves, he alleged. "We want the state government to give reply on what steps it had so far taken against the persons involved in the scam."

As the Congress members rushed to the well and attempted to disrupt the proceeding, speaker Pradip Amat adjourned the House. However, when the House reassembled at 3.05 pm, the Speaker announced his decision of accepting the special mentions.

"I have asked the government to give reply on the dal issue within 48 hours," Amat said, adding that the government may delete the portions likely to affect the judicial process.

Earlier, the government chief whip R N Pani had said the state government could not give details of investigation into the dal irregularities as the matter was subjudice.

Opposition members from Congress and BJP strongly objected to the Speaker`s ruling of allowing the government to delete portions of investigation in its reply. "It is a bid to hide facts regarding the dal scam," alleged Congress chief whip Prasad Harichandan.

Asking the government to give details about the action taken in the matter, they said almost all the culprits were moving scotfree though a minister had resigned over the issue.

Amid slogans by Opposition members, the House passed the voting on demands for grant of water resources department.