The monsoon session of the Jharkhand Assembly, which resumed after being adjourned earlier due to the death of former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Shibu Soren, saw repeated disruptions on Monday before the House finally passed the first supplementary budget of the financial year.
The session, which began on August 22 and will continue till August 28, had its first business day marred by protests. The government had presented a supplementary budget worth Rs 4,296.62 crore on the opening day. On Monday, the proceedings were to begin with the Question Hour, but loud protests from the Opposition forced an adjournment until 12:30 pm.
When the House reconvened, Opposition legislators stormed into the Well, raising slogans over the proposed RIMS-2 project and the recent Surya Hansda encounter. The uproar forced Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahto to adjourn the Assembly till 2 pm.
Discussion on the supplementary budget began in the afternoon with BJP MLA Satyendranath Tiwari initiating the debate. However, fresh disruptions broke out, this time with ruling party legislators objecting to Tiwari’s remarks on RIMS-2.
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The Leader of the Opposition defended the BJP MLA, but the ruckus prompted another adjournment till 3:30 pm. The commotion continued even after the House reassembled. Congress MLA Rameshwar Oraon eventually responded on behalf of the government, despite BJP legislators staging a walkout in protest.
Unfazed, the minister completed his reply, after which the Speaker passed the supplementary budget by voice vote. The House was later adjourned till 11 am on Tuesday. Notably, the original monsoon session, scheduled from August 1 to 7, had been cut short following Shibu Soren’s demise on August 4. The supplementary session was called to complete pending legislative business, including the crucial budget discussions.
With just a few days left, the session is expected to remain stormy, with the Opposition determined to corner the government over issues of law and order, development projects, and financial management.
Also Read: Jharkhand govt plans grand Memorial for Shibu Soren in Ranchi
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