Harya assembly unimously passes Jat quota bill; Congress keeps away

Chandigarh, March 29: The Harya assembly on Tuesday unimously passed a bill to provide reservation to Jat and other communities. The opposition Congress legislators kept away from the session when the bill was passed. There was immediate opposition to the bill from leaders of other communities and even some Jat leaders as well as a BJP parliamentarian. The Harya Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educatiol Institutions) Bill, 2016, was passed by voice vote in the ongoing assembly session within 15 minutes of being introduced. It was moved by Harya Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. No debate took place on the bill. While the ruling BJP and Indian tiol Lok Dal (INLD) legislators were present inside the assembly when the bill was passed, the Congress legislators were not present. The Congress lawmakers, according to party sources, kept away from the session on Tuesday to protest the six months’ suspension handed down to three Congress legislators by the speaker on March 15. The legislators were suspended for tearing copies of the Governor’s address. The Congress has 14 legislators in the 90-member house. (IANS)