Congress stages a walkout in the assembly

Jaipur, Mar 14 (UNI) Opposition Congress today raised in the Rajasthan Assembly the issue of alleged nexus between the state government and property dealers and purchasers and staged a walk out in protest against the attitude of Treasury Benches over the issue.

The issue figured in the house during the Zero Hour through special mention by Babu Lal Nagar (Congress) who alleged that land mafia and property dealers and big institutional purchasers were active in land deals along the Jaipur Ajmer Highway on the outskirits of Jaipur.

The trouble erupted when Mr Nagar alleged that corruption and unfair money transactions were involved in the land deals and the money was being forwarded to people occupying higher positions in the government. He quoted SDO Dudu to substantiate his statement.

This evoked strong protests from the Treasury Benches and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore raised objection against Mr Nagar's allegation and urged the Chair to stop the member.

Pandemonium broke out in the house as several members from both the sides stood up to speak simultaneously and levelled allegations and counter allegations of varied sort against each other.

However, nothing could be heard in the din.

Meanwhile, Congress member C P Joshi suggested that a house committee headed by Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria might be constituted to probe into allegations levelled by Mr Nagar.

Mr Joshi said that the Opposition members had levelled allegations on the basis of a tip off provided to him by the people and the officials and he had the right to do so.

Mr Joshi's suggestion was not acceptable to Mr Rathore as he and several other members from Treasury benches urged that the allegations levelled by Mr Nagar and other members against the government must be expunged from the proceeding records.

Sanyam Lodha and other Congress members protested against the demand and said that this could not be done as Mr Nagar was speaking with due permission from the Chair.

Amid heated exchanges between the Opposition and the Treasury Benches the Congress members staged a walkout.

UNI SS LS RS1541