The Hindu : Other States / Haryana News : Action against six independent MLAs sought

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Friday, Jun 25, 2004

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Other States - Haryana

Action against six independent MLAs sought

By Our Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 24. The ruling Indian National Lok Dal MLA, Nafe Singh Rathee, today expressed surprise that the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Satbir Singh Kadian, had so far not issued any notices under the anti-defection law to two out of six independent MLAs who had recently claimed to have joined the Congress. Later, however, these MLAs had claimed that they had only shifted their support from the INLD to the Congress.

Mr.Kadian had issued notices to four Independent MLAs---J.P.Gupta, Bhim Sain Mehta, R.S.Bisla and Dev Raj Dewan. Mr. Rathee, who had petitioned the Speaker to take action against these six MLAs, alleged that two MLAs, Dariyao Singh Rajora and Mula Ram, had been "spared for reasons best known to the Speaker.

Meanwhile, Mr.Kadian is understood to have deferred his verdict in the matter till tomorrow, official sources said.

Mr.Rathee has urged Mr.Kadian to take action against these six MLAs urgently so that they are unable to vote in favour of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha election scheduled for June 28.

He asserted that these MLAs had committed "breach of trust'' and their membership should immediately be suspended. He claimed that he had collected adequate material against these MLAs, including "proof'' that they had attended a meeting of the Congress Legislature party, besides recordings of the "news coverage'' of the joining of these MLAs in the presence of the Rohtak MP, Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

He charged that the television recordings clearly indicated that Mr.Hooda had claimed that the strength of the Congress legislators had gone up to 27 with the "joining'' of these MLAs. It was apparent that the Congress was openly encouraging defections. He further said that the "evidence'' also indicated that Mr.Hooda had been "allegedly luring the MLAs by promising them tickets in the next Assembly election or some other benefits''.

Mr.Rathee warned that in case no action was taken, he would be constrained to meet the Governor regard or take protection of the Court. He alleged that he had been getting threatening telephone calls for withdrawing the petition against these independent MLAs and destroying the "evidence.'' He said that he had not lodged a complaint with the Chandigarh police in this connection but could do so if the "calls'' did not stop.

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