On Tuesday, Congress staged a walk out in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, seeking a CBI probe into BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma’s death. Sharma was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his official residence in New Delhi on March 17.
Jagat Singh Negi, Kinnaur legislator, wanted to raise the issue after presenting an adjournment motion however, Vipin Singh Parmar, the Speaker, did not allow him. Later, the Congress legislators went into the well of the House and shouted that as per several media reports, the MP’s son said his father could not commit suicide.
Replying to Opposition concern on the issue Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that Congress members should wait fill the enquiry reaches to any conclusion. The Delhi Crime branch after seizing over all evidences and testimonies have already lodged FIR in the matter and investigation process is underway.
CM said that it came to his knowledge from media only that the son of a former MP had stated that his father could not take such a extreme steps to kill himself.
The Chief Minister said that he had conveyed to the top party leadership at Delhi about the concern of aggrieved family members.
Since the matter did not fall in the jurisdiction of our state, government could not order the probe as a member died at Delhi and the matter is under investigation there, and this could hamper the investigation, CM said.
After many days of the demise of Ram Swaroop, his wife and son also met CM him in his office; however they did not raise any such suspicion on the demise and probe. They did not show any resentment on the investigation, CM added. Thakur, however said ,the family of the deceased was not satisfied with the slow progress of the probe.
Jairam Thakur conveyed to the house that Ramw Swaroop Sharma was a member of parliament and belonged to his home district.
Chief Minister also said that he himself tried to verify about the death to know the cause of MP’s death when he died in Delhi.
In the beginning of the session, opposition legislator Jagat Singh Negi insisted on the discussion under rule 67 in the house.
Congress leaders alleged that it is more than four months that the Delhi Crime branch is clueless about the real cause of death.
Speaker Vipin Singh Parmer stated in the house amid the sloganeering of Congress members that he rejected the notice given by the Congress members this morning. Speaker in his ruling stayed on the matter that during the last budget session this house has discussed the issue while paying obituary references, therefore it could not be allowed under rule 67.
Earlier, Parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Bhardwaj said that Opposition could not waive off the new paper clippings in the house since the house have already paid condolence motion and discussed the issue in length in the last session. Therefore, it is not proper to raise the master again, could not be accepted under rule 67 in the house, Bhardwaj added.
Amid the Congress members’ protest the house disrupted the question hours and later Congress staged a walk out from the house.