Jaipur: The Congress on Thursday boycotted the question hour as speaker Kailash Meghwal allowed the state Government to postpone its reply on questions related to farmers’ loans and minimum support price for crops.
Independent legislator Nand Kishore Maharia, who had asked the questions, tore off the question paper in protest and joined the Congress in staging the boycott. Maharia had directed his questions to the agriculture department but the government transferred those to the cooperatives department. Speaker Meghwal informed the house that Maharia’s questions would be taken up on the day when it’s the cooperative department’s turn to reply.
“Why was the question listed today (Thursday)? The government does not want to answer on farmers’ issues so it has transferred the question. If the government does not want to discuss farmers’ issues, it should clearly say so,” said Maharia, who represents Fatehpur (Sikar) constituency.
Targeting agriculture minister Prabhu Lal Saini and cooperatives minister Ajay Singh Kilak, both of whom wear turbans to the house, Maharia said, “One does not become a farmer by just wearing a turban. The ministers have turned up in turbans here and projecting themselves as farmers.”
Deputy leader of opposition Ramesh Meena sat on dharna in the well of the house and soon rest of the Congress members joined him there. The Congress MLAs shouted slogans against the government, while the speaker called up for the second question listed for the day. Congress whip Govind Singh Dotasra later led his party members to stage a walk out and boycott the question hour.
While parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore condemned the opposition members’ conduct, speaker Meghwal said they deserve to remain out of the house.