Jaipur, February 5: The Rajasthan Assembly witnessed a heated debate on Wednesday during discussions on the Governor’s address, with sharp exchanges between ruling and opposition members. Issues ranging from unemployment to tribal rights ignited tensions, leading to multiple disruptions in the proceedings.
During the discussion, former minister and Congress MLA Shanti Dhariwal used offensive language while addressing youth unemployment and skill development, sparking controversy within the house.
Dhariwal emphasized that failing to provide skill training to millions of youth could pose a significant challenge for the nation due to the rising youth population.
In response, the government’s chief whip, Jogeshwar Garg, made a pointed remark, stating, “Everyone in this country has found employment except for one youth.”
Dhariwal retaliated, claiming he only understood half of Garg’s statement. In the heat of the moment, he resorted to using inappropriate language in the assembly.
Following Dhariwal’s speech, the chief whip raised an objection, accusing him of once again using unparliamentary language and demanded its removal from the proceedings. The assembly speaker ordered the offensive comments to be expunged. Notably, Dhariwal has previously faced controversies over similar statements and has apologized to the house in the past.
During the same debate, Anil Katara, an MLA from the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP), accused the government of neglecting the tribal community and raised the demand for a separate Bhil state.
Katara alleged that despite the claims of the “double-engine government,” forests in tribal areas are being destroyed, land is being seized, and mining is taking place in the hills. He also pointed out that recruitments are not being conducted in accordance with reservation rules.
He stated, “If the tribal community continues to be disrespected and ignored, the demand for a separate Bhil state will be our only recourse.” He asserted that this movement would be taken from the streets to the assembly.
Congress MLA Ramila Khadiya also made sharp remarks during the debate, accusing the Tribal Area Development (TAD) Minister of making arbitrary decisions. She claimed that coordinators were removed without notice and were not reinstated even after court intervention.
Khadiya accused the minister of bias in appointments, alleging that individuals from outside the TSP area were placed in tribal regions under family pressure. She also raised concerns about delays in teacher salaries and the quality of nutrition provided at Anganwadi centers.
In response to these allegations, the TAD Minister announced the formation of a committee under Khadiya’s leadership to investigate the raised issues.
Earlier in the day, there were several instances of sharp exchanges between the ruling and opposition parties during question hour and zero hour.
Urban Development Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra faced intense questioning from opposition members regarding homeless families and the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme. Due to the ongoing disruptions and uproar, the assembly proceedings were ultimately adjourned until 11 AM on Thursday.
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