The Hindu : Walkout over new excise policy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 06, 2004

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Walkout over new excise policy

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, FEB. 5. The main Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, the Congress, staged a walk out during zero hour today protesting against the new excise policy of the Government. The House witnessed noisy scenes for over half an hour as the Congress MLAs and those of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party traded charges over the decision to bring in private participation in the manufacture of country liquor.

The trouble started when the Congress member, Sanyam Lodha, through an adjournment motion, tried to bring to the notice of the Government the decision allowing 25 per cent private participation in the manufacture of country liquor by the State- owned Ganganagar Cooperative Sugar Mill. The Government had acted under pressure from the liquor manufacturers, Mr.Lodha and others from his party charged. He said the previous Congress Government too had taken a decision to allow private manufacturers in 10 per cent of the total production but it was deferred later taking into account the interests of cane farmers and the future of the sugar mill itself. Cutting down one fourth of the production by the mill would affect cane growers in the area, he pointed out. The Congress members charged that the BJP had taken a donation of Rs.50 crores from the liquor lobby to allow privatisation of the Ganganagar Sugar Mills and to introduce glass bottles instead of the plastic pouches currently in use.

The new Government here had taken several steps like closing down the beer bars run by the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and allowing opening of private bars to benefit the liquor lobby, they charged. Mr.Lodha criticized the Government's decision to reduce the number of dry days in the State. The number of dry days had been brought down to three in a year from seven in the previous Government. "Even Mahavir Jayanti, Janmashtami and Shivaratri are not dry days in the new scheme of things,'' he pointed out.

The House witnessed noisy scenes as the BJP members did not allow Mr.Lodha to complete his observations. Rajendra Singh Rathore, who was in the Chair permitted the Public Works Department Minister, Gulab Chand Kataria, to give a reply but nothing was audible amidst the din. While the Congress members insisted on permission to speak on the topic, the BJP members were agitated over the fact that the Minister was not allowed to speak. "I too have a right to speak in the House,'' an exasperated Mr.Kataria was heard saying.

The Leader of the Opposition, B.D.Kalla, said the notice for the adjournment motion was given by as many as 40 MLAs from his party and they should be given a chance to express their views. As the Chair did not relent to the demand, the entire Congress bloc staged a walk out. The House on the last day of the current session passed supplementary demands for Rs.8,021.91 crores with a voice vote.

The Appropriation Bill, introduced by the Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, who is holding the Finance portfolio, was also passed by a voice vote before the House adjourned sine die at 2.20 p.m.

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