The monsoon session of the Haryana Assembly began on a stormy note as Congress legislators took their protest from the streets to the floor of the house. On the very first day of the session, a major confrontation erupted between Congress MLAs and the police in Chandigarh. The opposition members were conducting a foot march to highlight several pressing issues, including the prevailing law and order situation in the state, the recent police action against students in Delhi, and the alleged theft of offerings at the Ram Mandir. The situation escalated quickly as police attempted to stop the marching legislators, leading to physical scuffles and a heated standoff.
Protest Over Ram Mandir and Student Issues
The Congress party had planned the march to corner the government on multiple fronts. According to the legislators, they were raising their voices against the theft of offerings at the Ram Mandir and the alleged brutality faced by students at Jantar Mantar during the NEET movement, while as the MLAs moved towards the assembly building, they were met with heavy police presence. The Congress party has alleged that the police had set up barricades at various points to prevent the elected representatives from reaching the assembly. They further claimed that the police used force and conducted a lathi charge to disperse the protesters, resulting in injuries to several MLAs.
Hooda Slams Government Action
Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister, took to his X handle to share videos and photographs of the incident. The visuals showed police personnel struggling with the MLAs and maintaining a strict blockade. Hooda expressed his outrage, stating that the day would be remembered as a black day for the constitution and democracy, while he condemned the use of force, saying that every citizen and representative has a constitutional right to express their views. He went on to make a serious allegation, stating that the manner in which the police were pushing him and other MLAs made it seem as though the government had sent thugs dressed in police uniforms.
Uproar Inside the Assembly
The tension from the streets spilled over into the assembly chamber, while as soon as the session commenced, Congress members raised the issue of the alleged manhandling of their colleagues at the assembly gates. Hooda accused the security personnel of misbehaving with and insulting the MLAs. The resulting chaos and constant sloganeering made it impossible for the house to function. Consequently, Speaker Harvinder Kalyan had to adjourn the proceedings of the house twice as the opposition refused to back down from their demands for accountability. The Congress leaders maintained that the insult to the elected representatives was an insult to the people of Haryana who had voted for them.
Government Silence on Allegations
Despite the serious nature of the allegations leveled by the Congress party regarding police brutality and the strangling of democratic rights, there has been no official response from the Haryana government or the ruling BJP at the time of reporting. The opposition has demanded that the government stop trying to run the house through the use of police force and sticks. They emphasized that preventing elected members from entering the assembly building by force is a direct violation of democratic norms, while the session remains tense as the opposition continues to demand answers on the issues raised during their protest march.