Congress boycott Assembly over minister's anti-farmer comment

Bhopal, July 25 (UNI) The opposition Congress members today boycotted the proceedings of Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly for the day after Speaker Ishwardas Rohani rejected their repeated demand for an apology from Energy Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya for his ''anti-farmer'' comment.

The ruckus, which started while debating a question raised by Mr Ramniwas Rawat (Congress) on metred power supply, continued for more than half an hour, when the Speaker proceeded with the listed agenda despite interruptions caused by vociferous protest by the opposition.

After initial walkout, the Congress members returned to the house and sought an apology from Energy Minister, which was outrightly rejected by the Speaker saying ''Mantri Ne Kisanom Ko Chor Nahim Kaha Hai''( The minister had not named the farmer for power theft).

The Speaker also expressed his displeasure over the conduct of opposition members saying they were casting aspersions on the chair and interpreting the minister's remark.

As the Speaker stood his ground, the agitated Congress members trooped into the well of the house and raised slogans seeking an apology from the minister. They also staged a dharna in the well of the house briefly.

After failing to move the Speaker, who later expunged certain remarks of both opposition members and the minister, the Congress members boycotted the proceedings. Mr Sajjan Singh Verma (Congress) said ''they were staging the walkout for the day as their presence had become meaningless when their voice was being unheard of in the house''.

The Speaker also expunged certain remarks of both Congress and treasury benches.

Even in the absence of the main opposition Congress, the house passed by a voice vote the first supplementary demands of Rs 1568.81 crore for 2007-08 without lunch break. Later the Speaker adjourned the sitting till tomorrow.

Earlier during question hour, Mr Vijayvargiya claimed that metres had been installed on about 25 per cent of the 13 lakh agriculture pump connections and on all transformers. Mr Rawat (Congress) challenged the minister's contention and offered to resign as legislator if the minister could prove that metres had been installed on all transformers.

UNI