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`Address misued'

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, FEB.3. The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Bulaki Das Kalla, today accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Government in the State of misusing the customary address of the Governor in the Assembly to highlight its achievements. There was a model code of conduct in force in the State due to the ongoing panchayat elections and the Government had purposely timed the session in this manner to by-pass its provisions, he charged.

Mr.Kalla, who earlier led the Congress MLAs out of the House in protest when the Governor, Pratibha Patil, stood up for her address, told newspersons that the Government did not care to convene an Assembly session for about six months despite repeated pleas from the Opposition. He had even written to the Government requesting for a session to discuss many burning issues including the police firing on farmers, hooch tragedies and the drought situation, but it was to no avail, he noted.

"With this Government the Assembly sessions have turned out to be a Budget to Budget affair,'' Mr.Kalla said pointing out that this was the first session after August 4, 2004 when the previous session was adjourned sine die. "That was a Budget session and this too is a Budget session,'' he pointed out. "Past one year saw only 29 days sittings by the Assembly, the lowest number in the history of the Rajasthan Assembly," Mr.Kalla charged.

The Opposition leader said that the day's walk out by the Congress members was in no way an expression of disregard for Ms.Patil.

"Before walking out I told the House that our protest was against the denial of opportunities to the elected members to air peoples' grievances in the Assembly,'' Mr.Kalla said even as he explained that it there was not a boycott of the Governor's address.

"It was only a walk out,'' Mr.Kalla said though the Congress MLAs did not enter the House till Ms.Patil was seen off ceremonially after completion of her speech by the Speaker, Sumitra Singh. They joined the proceedings of the House later, before it was adjourned till February 14, to attend the condolences and the tabling of the new bills.

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