Haryana BJP MLA’s corruption allegations against minister spark uproar in assembly

The Haryana assembly witnessed high drama on Wednesday as the Congress launched a blistering attack on the BJP over allegations of corruption levelled by a ruling party MLA against a minister during Tuesday’s proceedings.

The ruckus erupted soon after Question Hour, with the opposition demanding a House committee probe into the matter.

The controversy stemmed from a spat between BJP MLAs Ram Kumar Gautam and Arvind Sharma, who is also the state tourism minister, during a discussion on governor Bandaru Dattatraya’s address on Tuesday. The exchange was deemed unfit for the House and Speaker Harvinder Kalyan expunged the remarks.

On Wednesday, the Congress raked up the argument, claiming that the issue could not be ignored simply because it was erased from official proceedings. Congress MLA Ashok Kumar Arora led the charge, asserting that a ruling party legislator making corruption allegations against a minister was a grave issue that warranted an investigation. “The ruling party MLA has levelled corruption allegations against the minister,” he said, pressing for a House committee to probe the claims.

Haryana parliamentary affairs minister Mahipal Dhanda, however, attempted to downplay the matter, calling the spat between the BJP legislators “unfortunate and in very bad taste”. He said unless there was a complaint in writing, no inquiry could be considered. “The words used were inappropriate, but if there is anything given in writing, the matter can be looked into,” Dhanda said, rejecting the Congress demand for a probe.

Unconvinced, Congress members escalated their protest, with senior leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian criticising the government’s reluctance to take the matter seriously. “Tuesday’s episode has shattered the decorum of the House,” he said, challenging Dhanda’s argument that a written complaint was necessary. “A serious corruption allegation has been levelled against a minister in this House,” Kadian said.

The Speaker intervened, emphasising that the words used during the altercation were unacceptable. “This type of wording is not expected from anyone. Not acceptable,” he said, adding since the remarks were expunged, the matter should be considered closed.

Congress refuses to relent

However, the Congress refused to relent, stalling proceedings for 20 minutes. The party argued that the slanging match between Gautam and Sharma had tarnished the dignity of the House and insisted that an inquiry was necessary. “The Congress is making a mountain out of a molehill,” Dhanda shot back, provoking an even stronger reaction from the opposition.

As the situation escalated, the Speaker urged lawmakers to refrain from personal attacks. “We have expunged the remarks. It is the duty of all 90 members to ensure the House functions smoothly,” he said. But Kadian, a former Speaker himself, pressed for a formal ruling. Kalyan firmly responded that while he would give a ruling, no member could dictate terms to the Chair.

With tempers flaring, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda stepped in, demanding that the House should formally condemn the incident. He called on the government to introduce a resolution on the matter and clarify its position. “What action will the government take?” he asked pointedly.

Speaker cautions members

As chaos prevailed, the Speaker cautioned members against crossing the line. “What happened on Tuesday was unacceptable. No personal remarks… Maintain decorum… No one has the right to blemish the image of the House,” he warned. While reaffirming that he was not taking the matter lightly, he urged members to move on.

Despite repeated appeals, the Congress remained adamant, with more MLAs joining the demand for an inquiry. The parliamentary affairs minister again tried to pacify the agitated legislators, but the opposition was in no mood to back down.

At 11.21am, Congress members walked out of the House, raising slogans. However, just two minutes later, they returned to participate in Zero Hour, marking an end to the confrontation.

With order restored, the proceedings resumed, but the political storm surrounding the BJP MLA’s corruption allegations against his own ministerial colleague is unlikely to die down anytime soon.