DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Assembly was adjourned during the Question Hour on Thursday when opposition members trooped into the well of the House protesting against the state government's "failure" to build a medical college at Bhagwanpur in Haridwar district.
Bhagwanpur MLA Mamata Rakesh raised the issue, saying the medical college, which was to be named after BR Ambedkar, had not been opened despite an announcement made in this regard by former finance minister late Prakash Pant in his budget speech several years ago.
Higher education minister Dhan Singh Rawat said a medical college is already being opened in Haridwar district and as per the rules there cannot be more than one medical college in one district.
Leader of Opposition Pritam Singh asked the minister to give a clear cut reply whether or not the state government intended to establish a medical college in Bhagwanpur.
Opposition MLAs then shouted slogans and rushed into the well of the House charging the government with being anti-Dalit.
Bhagwanpur is a reserved SC seat in Haridwar district.
When opposition members refused to budge despite repeated requests from Speaker Premchand Aggarwal, the House was adjourned for around half an hour.
Later talking to reporters, Leader of Opposition Pritam Singh accused the state government of backing out of its own commitment by prevaricating on the issue.
Congress MLA from Manglaur, Kazi Nizamuddin, said the state government's argument that there cannot be more than one medical college in one district was not acceptable.
"If this is true then how come a medical college is being built in Kotdwar when there is already one in Srinagar in Pauri district.
If there can be two medical colleges in Pauri district why can't there be two in Haridwar?" Nizamuddin said.
"Not building a medical college in Bhagwanpur is an insult to former MLA Surendra Kumar Rakesh who first came up with the idea," Mamata Rakesh said.
Mamata Rakesh, who now represents the seat in the state assembly, is Surendra Kumar Rakesh's wife.