DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Assembly session at the Bhararisain complex in the state’s summer capital was adjourned sine die on the second day amid noisy Opposition protests. The House passed the Rs 7,844.18-crore supplementary budget and nine other bills before Speaker Ritu Khanduri announced the adjournment at around 1.10 pm.
The session ended before completing 11 hours, prompting the Opposition to allege that the brief sitting left little time to debate public issues. The supplementary budget was passed shortly before the House was adjourned.
Congress members entered the Well carrying black flags, raised slogans and threw papers. No questions were taken up during Question Hour, while only Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Mohammad Shahzad was able to raise an issue during Zero Hour.
The sharpest exchanges centred on Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya. Congress MLA Pritam Singh demanded an impartial probe into alleged corruption linked to Arya’s husband. During Zero Hour, Congress members chanted, “Where did the Rs 210-crore earring fall?”—a reference to their allegation. Arya rejected the charges and countered by citing the Congress government’s 2012-17 tenure.
Before the proceedings began, Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya sought a discussion on important issues. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami questioned the Opposition’s intention in seeking to move an adjournment motion.
Ruling-party legislators also alleged that Congress leaders had threatened a family in Chakrata and demanded an investigation and strict action.
After the session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Subodh Uniyal said the government had completed essential financial and legislative business despite the disruptions. The supplementary budget and nine other bills, covering financial management, GST and other state matters, were passed by voice vote, he said.
“Opposition members were also meant to put forward their views, but the proceedings could not move as expected,” Uniyal said. He accused the Congress of disrupting the House and preventing meaningful discussion on important issues.
Uniyal said a substantial part of the first day was devoted to tributes to former chief minister and Union minister B.C. Khanduri and former minister Hira Singh Bisht, recalling their contributions to public life and Uttarakhand’s development.
Khanduri had served as chief minister and Union transport minister, while Bisht was a member of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly before becoming a minister in Uttarakhand, Uniyal said.
While the government maintained that the budget and bills were necessary for the state, the Opposition said the short session denied legislators adequate time to debate pressing public concerns.
