Ruckus in Haryana Assembly over damages recovery Bill

Its sole aim is to target farmers protesting against farm laws, says Opposition

Heated arguments were witnessed in the Haryana Assembly on Thursday between treasury benches and opposition Congress, as ‘Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property During Disturbance to Public Order Bill, 2021 ,’ was passed.

The Congress MLAs stormed the well of the House, shouting slogan against the Bill and demanding its withdrawal. it claimed that Bill was aimed at strangling democracy.

‘Bill on public demand’

Home Minister Anil Vij, who earlier introduced the Bill, said it has been brought on public demand. “The Congress should clarify are they with people who are involved in rioting and damaging properties or do they favour peaceful protests,” he said.

The Bill provides for recovery of damages to properties caused by persons during disturbances to public order by an assembly, lawful or unlawful, including riots and violent disorder and for constitution of claims tribunal to determine the liability, to assess the damages caused and to award compensation.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal said that the 2.5 crore people of the State have every right over its land and it is the responsibility of the State government to protect it. “For this purpose, the Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property during Disturbance to Public Order Bill, 2021was passed,” said Mr. Lal, talking to reporters.

He said the Bill has nothing to do with the agitation of farmers’ surrounding the new farm laws.

‘Necessary to instil fear’

“It is necessary to instil fear in the minds of those who damage property and this is our constitutional legal system. In a democracy everyone has the right to speak and protest peacefully, but no one has the right to damage property. This Bill will determine the responsibility of those who damage property as well as ensure compensation to the victims,” Mr. Lal added.

Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who forcefully opposed the bill inside the House, said the Bill would strangle democracy and demanded the government to take it back.

Mr. Hooda, later told reporters that the Bill provides for recovery from peaceful protesters, which, he said was an attempt to violate the fundamental rights as every citizen has the right to peaceful protest in a democracy.