Using ‘offensive language’: Abhay-speaker tussle rocks Haryana assembly again

The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) lone MLA Abhay Singh Chautala was on Monday debarred from attending the Haryana assembly’s Monday proceedings after he again targeted speaker Gian Chand Gupta wilfully and repeatedly with unpleasant words.

During the current budget session, which got underway on February 20 with a recess lasting 21 days (February 24 to March 16), it was for the second time that the speaker has “named” Abhay.

Initially, the MLA resisted obeying the speaker’s direction, who said: “Your (Abhay) behaviour is not appropriate. I am naming you. Please go out of the House....”

The INLD MLA, however, continued questioning the grounds on which the speaker had named him again.

Finally, Abhay left his seat after the speaker dispatched his two marshals to physically remove the legislator from the House.

On February 21, the Speaker had named Abhay with a direction not to attend the House proceedings for two days, a decision which the INLD MLA has challenged in the Punjab and Haryana high court. And since then, tension between Abhay and Gupta has been visible during the House proceedings.

Also, the assembly has referred a matter involving Abhay’s alleged misstating of facts on the floor of the House to the Committee of Privileges. In yet another step, on March 17, the assembly resolved that it would not respond to the notice of the high court on a writ petition of Abhay on the grounds that it interfered with the state legislature’s functioning.

How the tussle unfolded

“Apko takleef kayon hoti hai jab mein prashan poochta hun,” Abhay said as the speaker advised him to ask a supplementary question related to the main question.

It was during the middle of the Question Hour, when the INLD MLA, who was responding to issues related to the written reply of the state government in response to his question that revolved around the steps taken to raise the groundwater level in the dark zone of the state, the latest tussle started.

As the MLA enlarged the ambit of his supplementary questions, the speaker advised Abhay to ask a supplementary linked to his question, triggering a war of words.

“I am asking (supplementary) or what else am I doing,” Abhay said even as the Speaker again told him to ask about the “dark zone.”

“The same story will start again...tell me what all I can ask in my supplementary,” Abhay said as Gupta reiterated: “Jo dark zone ke baare me poocha hai...”

The MLA continued arguing with the speaker and said something that was construed derogatory.

At this point, the speaker cautioned the MLA not to use inappropriate language, saying: “Abhay ji aap bhasha ka sahi istemaal kijiye...yeh bhasha theek nahin hai.”

But Abhay said that he did not say anything inappropriate and asked the speaker: “Why are you interfering when I am asking a supplementary?”

Abhay went on to say that he will list a question in the House that would embarrass the speaker.

At this, the speaker told Chautala that he could go ahead and ask anything he wanted to. Abhay also accused Gupta of bias, which he denied. “Your behaviour is not appropriate. I am naming you. Please go out of the House,” the Speaker told the MLA.

Before the speaker named Abhay, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar interjected and took exception to the utterances of the MLA.

Later, in a statement, Khattar condemned INLD MLA’s “unparliamentary behaviour” and said that respecting the chair is the duty of every member. He said that arguing with the speaker is against the dignity of the House. The CM said every member has an equal right of raising an issue before the speaker. However, Khattar said, misbehaving with the speaker is not expected from any member and that strict cognizance should be taken against such incidents.

As per the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Rules of Procedure, the speaker is authorised to direct any member whose conduct in his opinion is grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from the House and the concerned member has to follow the order in letter and spirit by staying away from the remainder of the day’s sitting.