Wednesday’s Rajasthan Legislative Assembly was a powder keg waiting to explode, and explode it did over Congress MLA Shanti Dhariwal’s use of profanity. The trigger was a debate on the Governor’s address, covering unemployment, skills, and tribal woes, where ruling and opposition benches clashed repeatedly, stalling proceedings.
Dhariwal, speaking on youth employability, cautioned that unskilled youth bulge threatens India’s future. Garg’s witty jab – ‘All but one youth have jobs here’ – provoked Dhariwal’s offensive retort. The chief whip protested vehemently, labeling it repetitive misconduct, leading the Speaker to strike the words from records. Dhariwal’s prior controversies underscore a pattern.
Tribal MLA Anil Katara (BAP) intensified the fire, charging the government with environmental ruin, land encroachments, mining havoc, and recruitment biases against tribals. He revived the separate Bheel state demand, pledging sustained movements. Fellow Congress member Ramila Khadiya accused TAD Minister of whimsy in staff changes, relative-driven hires, pay holdups, and inferior child nutrition programs.
Promising a Khadiya-headed probe committee, the minister tried to defuse. Pre-lunch sessions were equally volatile, with Urban Development Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra in the crosshairs over housing for the homeless. Uproar forced adjournment to Thursday 11 AM, leaving key issues unresolved.