Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Brij Bihari Lal Butail was on Wednesday hospitalised after he suddenly took ill while making an emotional appeal to the Opposition members on repeated walkouts and disruptions in the House proceedings.
Mr. Butail was rushed to the Indira Gandhi State hospital where he was admitted to the cardiac care unit. Hospital sources said the Speaker’s condition was stable.
The legislators said they noticed a slurring in Mr. Butail’s speech while he was making a passionate appeal for smooth running of the House. The members apparently requested Mr. Butail to take rest in his chamber since he looked fatigued.
However, when the Speaker was being helped out of his chair by the Assembly secretary and other staff, Mr. Butail was again heard making a request to the MLAs to allow the House to function smoothly. The Chief Minister and the Leader of Opposition then visited Mr. Butail in his Chamber and advised him to go to the hospital.
The septuagenarian Speaker, however, reportedly felt nauseated again but continued to appeal for calm in the House.
Disruption in HouseThe Opposition members had refrained from participating in the House proceedings, staged repeated walkouts, raised slogans and sought adjournments after they were denied a discussion on the recent attachment of properties of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh by the Enforcement Directorate and his alleged involvement in a disproportionate asset case.
Deputy Speaker Jagat Singh Negi conducted the House proceedings in the Speaker’s absence.
