Rajasthan Assembly – Heated Question Hour Clash Over Housing Data in Bharatpur
Rajasthan Assembly – A tense exchange unfolded in the Rajasthan Assembly on Wednesday during Question Hour, as a discussion on homelessness in Bharatpur quickly escalated into a sharp confrontation between members of the ruling government and the opposition. What began as a request for official figures soon turned into a wider debate over policy clarity, ministerial responses, and parliamentary decorum.
Question Triggers Strong Reaction in the House
The disagreement started when Rashtriya Lok Dal legislator Subhash Garg raised a question regarding the number of homeless families in Bharatpur district. He also sought details on how many families qualified for assistance under the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme, commonly referred to as PM Awas Yojana.
Responding on behalf of the government, Urban Development and Housing Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra stated that if specific data concerning landless families was required, the information could be collected from the District Collector and submitted to the Assembly at a later stage. Garg, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the reply and pressed the minister to provide exact figures immediately.
Dispute Over Policy Provisions
As the minister attempted to outline eligibility requirements under the PM Awas Yojana, Garg interrupted, questioning whether the state’s Homeless Policy introduced in 2022 included a formal survey mechanism to identify homeless families.
He repeatedly sought a straightforward response, asking the minister to clarify whether such a provision existed. According to Garg, the absence of a clear answer raised doubts about how beneficiaries were being identified and when support would actually reach those without shelter.
Opposition and Treasury Benches Lock Horns
The exchange soon widened into a broader confrontation involving Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel and Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Juli. As two ministers stood during the UDH Minister’s response, Juli remarked that the situation did not require legal arguments, a comment that drew a sharp reaction.
Patel countered by advising the opposition leader to ask questions rather than deliver speeches. Juli rejected the accusation, saying he was simply stating facts and had been wrongly criticized for it. He later added that Patel had misunderstood the intent of the question and responded too quickly.
Focus Shifts to Housing Delivery Timeline
Clarifying his position, Juli emphasized that the core issue was not procedural but practical. He questioned when families without homes would actually receive housing benefits, arguing that the minister’s response failed to address this central concern. According to him, inconsistencies in the reply justified raising questions about the criteria outlined in the 2022 Homeless Policy.
As tempers rose, Industry Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore intervened, stating that the matter was not meant to catch anyone off guard and that the Urban Development Minister was prepared to respond comprehensively on both homelessness figures and the housing scheme.
When opposition members objected to Rathore’s intervention, the Speaker clarified that he had been granted permission to speak.
Speaker Steps In to Restore Order
The Assembly witnessed loud exchanges and sustained interruptions as members from both sides argued over the issue. The Speaker was forced to intervene repeatedly to maintain order and allow proceedings to continue.
Earlier in the session, Revenue Minister Hemant Meena also faced criticism during Question Hour. He was asked whether existing roads would be officially recorded as public roads in revenue records. After citing various rules and circulars without offering a direct response, the Speaker instructed him to clearly answer with a yes or no.
The events highlighted growing friction in the House over clarity in government responses and underscored the opposition’s demand for precise data and accountability on public welfare issues.