Oppn walkout in assembly over office of profit

Raipur, Mar 27 (UNI) Opposition Congress members today raised slogans and staged a walkout in the Chhattisgarh Assembly alleging that Chief Minister Raman Singh and several ruling party legislators were holding 'offices of profit'.

Raising the issue during zero hour, Mr Ravindra Choubey (Congress) said his party members had earlier given a notice for adjournment motion over the issue of office of profit.

Stating that those holding 'office of profit' should have resigned on moral grounds, he said BJP leaders should have heeded to the advice of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) leader M G Vaidya and resigned from their posts.

Mr Choubey said his party had also petitioned the President and the Election Commission, demanding disqualification of the members, who were holding 'office of profit', from the House.

Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey said he was not a competent authority to decide about matters pertaining to disqualification of a member from the House.

He said the opposition notice for adjournment motion was also not pending before him at present as it had been disallowed earlier.

Congress members requested the Speaker to re-consider his decision and allow a debate on the issue. However, the Speaker repeated his reply. Later, the opposition members raised slogans against the BJP government and staged a walkout.

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