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House adjourned after Speaker, Opposition row

Special Correspondent

Controversy comes to an end after Chief Minister tenders apology

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Assembly was adjourned a record seven times on Friday after Speaker Sumitra Singh and Leader of the Opposition Ramnarain Choudhary had an argument over a supplementary during Question Hour.

After repeated adjournments between 11-40 a.m. and 5 p.m. the House could reassemble only when Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje -- who was not in the House at the time of the incident -- volunteered to tender an apology to the Speaker on behalf of the entire House at the end of an all-party meeting.

"I apologize on behalf of everyone. In future we will ensure that such things do not happen. Even if something happens we will settle it after mutual discussions," Ms.Raje told the House as it reassembled for the day at 5-30 p.m. The Speaker, who had absented herself for the announcements of adjournments in between, too was in her chair though Mr.Choudhary reached the House only after the apology.

"I was not here at that time. I went through the proceedings. I feel it was unfortunate that such a thing happened. It is our responsibility to maintain the dignity of the House," Ms.Raje said. As the day was lost in adjournments and there was much business to cover before the Chief Minister gave her reply to the motion of thanks on the Governor's address, the members thumped the desks in relief.

The altercation between Ms.Singh and Mr.Choudhary, both among the senior most members of the Assembly and hailing from the Shekhawati district of Jhunjhunu, had started when the latter insisted on asking a supplementary question on the number of arms licences issued in the State.

As his fourth attempt to get a favorable nod from the Speaker failed Mr.Choudhary complained of partisan attitude on the part of her.

The Congress member C.P.Joshi complained that the chair had been always doing it with the Leader of the Opposition even when Mr. Choudhary's predecessor, B.D.Kalla was in that post.

Amid noisy scenes Mr.Choudhary and Mr.Joshi had heated arguments with the Chief Whip of the Ruling Party, Mahavir Prasad, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore and Industries Minister Narpat Singh Rajvi.

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