Allegations of massive corruption in Simhastha dominated the proceedings of the monsoon session.

Serious allegations of corruption were made on the day the government presented the supplementary budget. The government sought additional funds to meet the emergency expenditure made on arrangements for Simhastha. The opposition alleged irregularities in the purchases made for Simhastha. Raising the issue, young Congress MLA Jitu Patwari said that pitchers were purchased from auto spares shops. Breakfast plates were purchased at the rate of Rs 1625 per plate.” Patwari asked that if breakfast plate costs Rs 1625 per piece, how much would have been paid for the breakfast? Similarly, Patwari said, “Rs 6 crore was spent on construction of a new hotel but Rs 6.6 crore was spent on repairs of another hotel with the same number of rooms.

Similarly, a huge amount was wasted on publicity of Simhastha. Hoardings with the photographs of CM were installed in other states also, Patwari added.

Demanding a White Paper on Simhastha expenses, Congress MLA Dr Govind Singh said, “Stethoscopes cost hardly Rs 165 in the market but they were purchased for Rs 7000 per piece. Rubber hand gloves cost Rs 150 in market but were bought for Rs 2250. A blacklisted contractor of 2004 Simhastha was given contract for the construction of toilets and urinals. His payment has been made but all the toilets and urinal are yet to be constructed. Contractors were paid under JNNURM and also by the Ujjain civic body. Thus they were paid from both sides.”

Similarly, open surgery scissor which costs Rs 2610 was purchased for Rs 7038. Open scissors (blunt) which cost Rs 150 were purchased for Rs 4620. Forceps cost Rs 60 but were purchased for Rs 600, Dr Govind Singh added.

Mukesh Nayak said, “Unnecessary expenditure was made on publicity of Simhastha.”

Deputy leader of opposition Bala Bachchan dubbed the supplementary budget as Shahdol Lok Sabha bye-election budget as Rs 630 crore has been allocated for Shahdol Parliamentary constituency, where bye-polls are due. No fund has been allocated for sports though seven state players have been selected for Rio Olympics.

The Simhastha issue also figured in the sitting of July 29, which was the last day of the monsoon session with Congress members sticking to their demand for an adjournment motion or a debate on the issue. Assembly speaker Dr Sitasaran Sharma had to adjourn the House twice for 10 minutes each.

All efforts to run the house in order turned futile as the Congress MLAs continued to shout slogans in the well of the house, finally prompting the speaker to adjourn the house sine die.

During the zero hour, former minister and Pawai MLA Mukesh Naik was allowed by the speaker to speak on Ujjain Simhastha issue.

Parliamentary affairs minister Narottam Mishra objected to it, saying a wrong precedent was being set by only allowing an opposition MLA to speak on the issue.

“We are not against any member being allowed to speak on the issue, but the speaker should also allow us to respond to statements made by the opposition member,” Mishra said.

The speaker, however, said Naik was not allowed permission for an adjournment or call attention motion, but was merely allowed to speak.

When Naik started speaking on the issue by alleging massive irregularities in the use of funds at the Simhastha, Mishra again intervened and sought permission to respond to Naik’s allegations. The development triggered a war of words between the ruling and opposition benches.

One unique feature of the monsoon session was that besides the opposition members ruling party members also criticised the government on several issues of public importance. On two issues the ruling party members joined the opposition in launching a fierce attack on the government.

The issue of supply of rotten wheat was raised by Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh, who happens to be Digvijay Singh’s son. Jaivardhan received a powerful support from former chief minister Babulal Gaur, who was recently dropped from the ministry. Beside this issue Gaur did not miss any opportunity to pull up the government.

In fact Gaur’s outbursts in and out of Vidhan Sabha were discussed at by a high level meeting attended by the important BJP and RSS functionaries.

An important issue involving former chief minister Digvijay Singh became the subject of a fierce controversy in the Vidhan Sabha.

AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh’s Tweet that the Congress MLAs should vociferously raise the issue of corruption in Simhastha triggered a war of words in the Vidhan Sabha.

Parliamentary affairs minister Dr. Narottam Mishra raised the issue. Congress MLAs cornered the government while ministers, including Gopal Bharagava, Dr. Gauri Shankar Shejwar and Lal Singh Arya called it a breach of privilege as an outsider had instructed MLAs to raise the issue.

Digvijay Singh had tweeted that Congress MLAs should emphatically raise the Simhastha corruption in the Vidhan Sabha. He had also tweeted the link of a newspaper article that alleged that Congress was keeping mum on the Simhastha scam and that Bala Bachchan had ‘fixed’ the debate.

Calling the tweet as unconstitutional, Narottam Mishra said, “Congress is not able to digest an SC leader of opposition”.

Two other important issues rocked the Vidhan Sabha. One such issue related to the breaching of some dams. Mukesh Nayak of the Congress accused the Irrigation Minister, Jayant Malaiya of corruption. He said that corruption in his department was the main cause for the sub-standard construction of the dams.

Nayak accused Mallaiya of amassing wealth though corrupt practices. Denying the allegation Mallaiya said we are rich since many generations. But he asked Nayak to explain how overnight he had become rich.

Another issue which disrupted proceedings related to the demand of some Dalit families seeking permission to commit suicides because they were subjected to atrocities. Incidentally they belong to the chief minister’s constituency. The government denied the charge. (IPA Service)