The final day of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly's Winter Session in Bhopal witnessed an unprecedented and awkward scenario, as the sacred Question Hour was left in disarray. Ministers and bureaucrats were prepared with detailed replies, but the lawmakers who had posed the questions were conspicuously absent, having chosen to attend wedding functions instead.
An Empty House for Public Queries
As the House convened for its concluding day, the Treasury benches were armed with responses to 14 of the 25 starred questions listed. The concerned ministers were present, and department officials waited in the gallery with relevant files. However, a stunning silence descended when it became clear that the members who were supposed to raise these questions were missing from their seats.
The absence was bipartisan, cutting across both the ruling and opposition benches. Notably, not a single Opposition MLA was present to ask questions listed at serial numbers 14 to 18 and 20 to 25. Questions number 2, 7, and 11 also found no takers as the concerned legislators were away.
A Minister's Unusual Plea to the Speaker
The bizarre situation prompted Legislative Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya to stand up and address Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar. With the Speaker casting curious glances at the vacant seats, Vijayvargiya offered an explanation and a unique request. He stated that many MLAs had excused themselves due to marriages in their families or constituencies.
"Honorable Speaker, I have a request," Vijayvargiya said. "Next time, when we set the date for the Assembly session, we should also consider the dates for marriages and wedding functions... Next year onwards, we will ensure that at least some weddings don't coincide with the Assembly session, as the members, as public representatives, are also required to be there." His remarks highlighted the clash between legislative duty and social obligations that lawmakers often face.
Consequences and a List of Absentees
The impact of the mass absenteeism was stark. With five minutes still remaining in the Question Hour, the House literally ran out of business. This is a rare occurrence, as legislators typically complain about insufficient time for answers. Officials noted this was the first such instance in at least two decades where there was more time than questions.
In a final attempt to salvage the hour, Speaker Tomar read out the names of the absent MLAs, perhaps hoping for a late arrival. The list of 14 names included members from the Congress, BJP, and the sole Bharat Adivasi Party MLA, Kamleshwar Dondiyar.
The absent Congress MLAs included: Kunwar Singh Tekam, Rajendra Bharti, Bhairon Singh, Mukesh Malhotra, Atif Aqueel, and Nitendra Singh Rathore.
The absent BJP MLAs included: Narayan Singh Kushwaha, Dhirendra Bahadur Singh, Satish Malviya, Arvind Pateria, Rajesh Kumar Shukla, Virendra Singh Lodhi, and former minister Bhupendra Singh.
The range of important public issues that went unaddressed due to these absences was significant. They included queries on illegal colonies, alleged irregularities in e-rickshaw purchases by municipalities, and pending works of the energy department in specific constituencies. The episode has raised serious questions about the prioritization of duties by elected representatives, especially during a crucial legislative exercise meant to hold the government accountable.
