Opp demands contempt proceedings against U''khand CM

Dehra Dun, Mar 29 (PTI) The Uttarakhand Assembly was adjourned repeatedly today amid uproarious scenes after Congress members sought initiation of contempt proceedings against chief minister and parliamentary affairs minister for allegedly misleading the House on a series of scandals rocking the hill state. Raising the issue, Congress member Pritam Singh said CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and parliamentary affairs minister Prakash Pant had "misled" the House by saying there were no irregularities in Citurgia land deal and 56 hydel projects which were eventually cancelled after filing of PILs in the High Court. As Singh was speaking on the issue, Pant raised objections stating that the matter was sub-judice and cannot be discussed in the House. However, Singh along with some other Congress members continued to raise the matter. Amid the din, Speaker Harbans Kapoor adjourned the House four times. Later talking to reporters, Singh demanded immediate initiation of contempt proceedings against Nishank and Pant on the issue. "When we raised the issues in the House last year, the two leaders had clearly stated that there were no irregularities. But later, the two deals were cancelled when PILs were filed in the High Court," Singh said. Referring to the allotment of 56 hydel projects, Singh said the Chief Minister had said the government had made the allotment as per the power policy of the state. But when the matter reached the High Court, the government cancelled the projects on technical grounds. Similarly, the government had said it allowed a housing project on Citurgia industrial land at Rishikesh town on the instruction of BIFR. But later, the government cancelled the deal stating that some vital facts were concealed by Citurgia Biochemical company for taking incentives when the PIL was filed in the Court. "Our plea before the Speaker is that when we raise these issues in the House, the government dismissed them by saying there were no irregularities. But at the same time, the government was forced to cancel the deals when the matter reached the High Court. So this is a fit case for contempt of the House," Singh said.