Gurugram: A Congress MLA in Haryana wants to enter the assembly donning a shroud with ‘Jai Siya Ram’, quatrains of Tulsidas and problems of his constituency printed on it. Speaker Gian Chand Gupta has, however, refused to give him permission but the MLA from Faridabad NIT, Neeraj Sharma, is unrelenting and is offering to be inspected if there is anything unparliamentary about his dress.
Sharma, who was chosen the “Best MLA” by the assembly in 2022, had first donned a shroud of two yards of white cloth on 17 January when the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP government government delayed sanction of Rs 27 crore for civic work in his constituency despite a promise during the winter session.
Sharma wrote to the Speaker Sunday stating that he would attend the upcoming session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha wearing the shroud — a plea to which Gupta responded by saying the dress would “violate the decorum” of the house.
Sharma had on 26 January been stopped by the police from attending the Republic Day parade in Panipat where Governor Bandaru Dattatreya was to unfurl the tricolour because of his dress, and was detained in a rest house till leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda finally “rescued” him.
Fearing that he could be stopped from attending the budget session starting from 20 February because of his dress, Sharma wrote to the Speaker informing him about the circumstances under which he had been forced to don a “shroud” in the chilly weather and informed him of his intention to attend the upcoming session donning the attire.
“The reason why I am writing this letter is to inform you that I am not wearing black clothes, and no unparliamentary language is written on my clothes. It has the name of Prabhu Shri Ram, a Swastik mark of Sanatan Dharma, quatrains of Tulsidas, and some problems of my assembly constituency painted on it. I am also sending my pictures in these clothes to you, and seeking your appointment so that you can get my clothes checked by any experts before the session starts so that the way the police misbehaved with me at Panipat on Republic Day is not repeated,” said Sharma in his letter, which ThePrint has accessed.
Answering a question on the subject during a press conference in Chandigarh Tuesday, Gupta made it clear that Sharma would not be allowed to enter the Vidhan Sabha in the clothes because it was against the decorum of the assembly.
When the media pointed out that Sharma had been chosen as the best MLA by the Vidhan Sabha in 2022, the Speaker said the award could be withdrawn if the MLA didn’t mend his ways.
Sharma shot off another letter to Gupta Wednesday, requesting him to give him an appointment for 7 February so that his clothes could be inspected.
“I wrote to you on 28 January about the misbehaviour with me by the police and also spoke to you over the phone. However, I have not received any response. Now, we have a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in Chandigarh on 7 February. If you give me an appointment for that day, my clothes can be inspected by experts. There is nothing unparliamentary written on my clothes. I am ready to remove anything found objectionable on my clothes,” Sharma wrote. ThePrint has seen the letter.
When ThePrint contacted Gupta for a response Friday, he maintained that the rules didn’t allow any MLA to violate the decorum of the assembly.
“The rules prescribe that no MLA can bring banners or placards in the assembly. But Sharma wants to enter the State Assembly with a dress which is itself a banner,” Gupta explained.
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‘Stepmotherly treatment to my constituency’
Contacted by ThePrint Friday, Sharma maintained that the assembly was his second home and the Speaker was his guardian.
“In my letters as well as in my telephonic communication with the Speaker, I have clarified that his dress has Prabhu Shri Ram’s name painted on it. If he has an objection to it, I will get it removed. The dress has the Swastik mark of Sanatan Dharma. If the Speaker has an objection, I am ready to remove it. The dress has quatrains of Tulsidas from Ramcharitmanas. If the Speaker has an objection, I can remove it. And my dress has the problems of my constituency painted on it. As MLA, I must highlight the problems of my people,” Sharma said.
He also said he was surprised to read Gupta’s statement in the media that his “Best MLA” award could be withdrawn.
“I wonder if there is any rule to withdraw an award. I can return my award in protest against the stepmotherly treatment being given to my constituency. But no one has the right to withdraw the award conferred on me,” said Sharma.
When asked about the withdrawal of Sharma’s award, Speaker Gupta told ThePrint that the selection was made based on the overall conduct of legislators, but if Sharma continued to behave in this manner, the award could be taken back.
Before this, in March 2022, the MLA had removed his clothes and shoes during the budget session of the assembly and announced he would don unstitched clothes till his demand for action against an alleged scam in the Faridabad municipal corporation was met.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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