Haryana government tables Bill to recover damages to property during protests, riots

Chandigarh: The Haryana government on Monday tabled in the state assembly a Bill seeking recovery of damages to public properties from rioters, triggering a walkout by the Opposition Congress on the refusal of their demand for a division on the Bill.

Haryana's Home and Urban Local Bodies Minister Anil Vij tabled the Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property during Disturbance to Public Order Bill, 2021 in the House this evening. It will be taken up for discussion and passage later during the ongoing budget session of the assembly.

Soon after the Bill was introduced, senior Congress member R S Kadian questioned the timing of bringing in the bill, saying it will send a wrong signal amid the ongoing farmers' agitation.

Vij, however, said some members were trying to mislead the House. Former Chief Minister B S Hooda, who is the Leader of the Opposition, said the state authorities had dug up roads to prevent farmers from reaching the national capital and wondered who will be held responsible in this case for damage to public property .

Congress MLA B B Batra sought division on the Bill and was supported by other members of his party, but Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said the Bill has been introduced and there was no provision of division at this stage.