Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Jagdish Devda presented the state budget for the year 2024-25 in the legislative assembly on Wednesday amid a ruckus created by the opposition Congress over an alleged nursing college scam.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently probing the alleged scam, which involves gross irregularities in the functioning of several nursing colleges that reportedly lacked infrastructure, with some institutions existing only on paper.
As the House convened for the budget presentation, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar and other Congress members demanded the resignation of Minister Vishvas Sarang in connection with the alleged scam.
The opposition members gathered in the well of the House, vociferously calling for Sarang's resignation.
Before the commencement of the budget speech, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav addressed the assembly, stating that adequate time had been provided to the opposition on Tuesday to discuss the issue. He urged them to adhere to the House tradition and participate in the budget presentation.
Legislative Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya intervened, emphasizing that the assembly proceedings would continue according to the rules and traditions of the House. He suggested that the opposition should raise their grievances through the appropriate procedural channels.
Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar also reminded the opposition that they had already raised the issue on Tuesday after a relaxation of the House rules.
Despite these appeals, the opposition members ignored Vijayvargiya's suggestion and persisted in raising slogans from the well of the House.
The protest escalated as the opposition members, after initially standing before the Speaker's podium, squatted on the floor of the well, continuing their demonstration.
Amid the uproar, Finance Minister Jagdish Devda proceeded with the budget presentation. However, his speech remained largely inaudible due to the ongoing din created by the protesting opposition members.
The budget presentation, intended to outline the government's fiscal plans and priorities for the upcoming year, was overshadowed by the persistent demands for accountability and resignation over the nursing college scam.
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