War of words break out as protest by Congress MLAs block access to HC

Chandigarh: Chaos ruled the road leading to the Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday as Congress MLAs took out a protest march to reach the Haryana Assembly on the 3rd day of the budget session. The protest started with alleged blocking of the main gates, which are nowadays used by MLAs and the CM, in addition to the Speaker. The sit-in dharna at the gate of the Assembly premises also forced Haryana CM Nayab Saini and other ministers to take an alternative route via the common entrance for MLAs of Punjab and Haryana. Interestingly, a sharp war of words between the treasury benches and opposition benches, and a sharp debate of apposition versus opposition (INLD MLA versus Congress MLAs), marked the proceedings of the day. The day ended with heated discussion and debate among the treasury and opposition benches on the issue of conduct by Congress MLAs, especially the staging of a protest at the Assembly gate, before the Speaker adjourned the sitting for Wednesday at 11 am.Congress MLAs, led by HPCC president Rao Narender Singh and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda, took out a protest march from the small roundabout to the Assembly premises. Congress MLAs protested against HPSC, HSSC, fraud, and old age pension issues while carrying placards. The protest march culminated at the Assembly premises. This move, which caused inconvenience to many, including litigants, lawyers, the judiciary, and officials, triggered another debate as MLA Ghanshyam Dass Arora sought a ruling from Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan. This led to a debate between Bhupinder Hooda, the Leader of Opposition, and the treasury benches. Hooda insisted that protest is a democratic right and the administration has to make arrangements. Saini insisted that if protest was really required, then the opposition should have gone to the designated place in Sector 25, Chandigarh. Vinesh Phogat seeks better sports infra Congress MLA from Julana and international wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat gave a tough time to the minister of state (MoS) for sports, Gaurav Gautam, on the issue of a swimming pool in her constituency as well as sports infrastructure. Phogat claimed that her demand for a proper swimming pool went unheard. Phogat went on to dare the MoS, Gautam, to swim in the village pond like children do in her area. "I shall quit after you are found to be healthy after swimming through the ponds where children practise. They often complain about allergies," she said. In response, Gautam said that the Haryana govt is continuously strengthening infrastructure in the state to promote sports activities. 450 doctors to be recruited soon: Arti Singh Rao Haryana health minister Arti Singh Rao said that 450 new doctors will soon be recruited in the state. She assured that there will be no shortage of doctors in Haryana in the future. She said that the present govt recruited more than 1,400 doctors in just 1 year. She added that before 2014, such a large number of doctors were never recruited in a single year. She clarified that doctors will be appointed wherever they are needed across the state. Metro network to be expanded Haryana minister Krishan Kumar Bedi said that the extension of metro rail connectivity from Gurugram to Bhondsi is currently proposed. He said that M/s RITES was appointed as consultant for the preparation of the Metro corridor from Bhondsi Village – Subhas Chowk – Rajeev Chowk – Sohna Chowk – Railway Station, with a route length of 17.09 km, on December 4, 2025. Surveys underway to regularise colonies: Vipul Goel Haryana urban local bodies minister Vipul Goel said that the process of regularising the colonies/areas identified in the 2022–23 and 2024 surveys is currently underway and is likely to be completed within the next 3 months. Goel said that a total of 94 colonies of the then Municipal Corporation, Ambala, were declared as civic amenities and infrastructure deficient through a notification dated February 19, 2014. MSID: 128753448 413 |