JAIPUR: Adamant about its stand on convening the
Rajasthan assembly session
from July 31, the
Ashok Gehlot government
on Tuesday sent yet another proposal — its third since July 23 — to governor Kalraj Mishra, who a day earlier had advised the government to follow three points, including serving a 21-day notice to legislators before calling the session.
Parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal told TOI, “There is no rule binding on us to serve a 21-day notice for calling sessions, which have been convened on much shorter notices on several occasions in the past.”
The embattled
Congress government’s fresh proposal does not talk about a trust vote — TOI reported on Tuesday that the cabinet wouldn’t commit itself to one — saying that setting an agenda for the House is the right of the assembly’s business advisory committee (BAC). On Monday, Mishra mentioned that seeking a trust vote could justify convening the assembly at a short notice.
Asked about trust vote, Congress leader says BAC sets agendaOn the governor’s third advice — making safety arrangements to counter the Covid-19 risk in the House — the government responded that managing the affairs of
the Vidhan Sabha
was the prerogative of the speaker.
Asked if the cabinet has mentioned the trust vote in the revised proposal, Dhariwal said: “The House agenda is decided by the BAC. We want to discuss the state’s Covid-19 and financial conditions. Other issues could be taken up if the BAC approves.”
After a nearly two-hour long cabinet meeting, revenue minister Harish Chaudhary said: “The governor should let the cabinet’s rights remain with the cabinet, the speaker’s right to remain with the speaker and perform his own duty.”
Transport minister
Pratap Singh Khachariyawas
said, “We have sought the assembly session from July 31 as recommended by the cabinet earlier also.”
On the governor returning the cabinet recommendations twice between July 24 and 27, transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said: “If the President denies PM Modi’s call for convening a Lok Sabha session, can the nation function? We do not want a confrontation with the governor, who is the head of our family. But, Article 163 clearly states that a governor cannot reject the cabinet proposal.”
“Entire
BJP is functioning like slaves of the Congress rebels (Pilot camp). The assembly session will not be convened if these rebels tell the BJP not to do so. Politics is being done ignoring the constitution,” said Kachariyawas, accusing the BJP of trying to topple the Congress government.
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