Chautala absent for third consecutive session, INLD stages walkout

Chandigarh, Mar 17 (UNI) Amidst walkout by the oppositon Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the ruling Congress MLAs led by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today criticised Leader of Opposition Om Prakash Chautala for abstaining from the house for the third consecutive session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.

Speaker Raghubir Singh Kadian read Mr Chautala's letter in the House in which the latter had sought permission to remain absent for the current assembly session as well. Mr Chautala said in his letter that he was abroad for a surgery of his leg and, thus, will not be able to attend the entire assembly proceedings, the Speaker said.

Criticising Mr Chautala for not attending a single sitting of the house for over a year now, Hooda said his presence in the House would have been better for the members. ''I could have gained something from him (Chautala), who is a highly experienced politician,'' Mr Hooda said.

Mr Hooda said he had no objection if the Speaker gave permission to Mr Chautala for remaining absent from the house for this session as well.

Anand Singh Dangi of the ruling Congress said Mr Chautala could not dare to enter the house and face charges being levelled against him. He further said Mr Chautala should have been present in the house for an explanation to all the irregularities and other wrong doings committed by the previous INLD government in the state.

This provoked the opposition members who then created noisy scenes and objected to time given to the Congress members when there was no Zero Hour set the today's proceedings.

INLD's Sushil Kumar Indora led the opposition into the well of the House when they were not given time to raise ''an important issue''. They then staged a walkout.

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