MLAs won’t leave the ghosts alone, House again discusses spirits

Lawmakers in the Rajasthan Assembly once again engaged themselves in a peculiar discussion: presence of “ghosts” in the complex. The discussion, however, was light hearted.

As Question Hour ended, some members requested Speaker Kailash Meghwal to consider the issues raised under Rule 295 as read so that the proceedings would not drag on till midnight, when the ghosts become active.

This came even as some members light-heartedly called for a “purification ritual” of the building that some said was haunted.

The notion has gained currency in the past few weeks.

Spread on a sprawling 16.96-acre campus in Jyoti Nagar, the Assembly building is a modern legislature structure. The Lal Kothi cremation ground is located adjacent to the complex.

BJP legislator Habibur Rahman had Thursday said that ghosts may be around in the Assembly and haunting the place. His concern reflected the anxiety among other members who feel the same following the death of two MLAs within six months.

On Friday, they discussed the matter in the House. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore urged Speaker Kailash Meghwal to complete the proceedings before midnight.

He said there are talks of “ghosts” in the Assembly building and a few House members have requested Gaupalan Minister Otaram Devasi to perform a “purification ritual”.

In a lighter vein, government chief whip Kalulal Gurjar remarked that a committee should be formed to investigate the matter. Speaker Meghwal said he has heard about the “mystery” and that a separate debate should be held on this issue.

MLA Rahman had also said that a part of the land on which the Assembly building stood was previously a cremation ground.

Nathdwara MLA Kalyan Singh Chauhan died on Wednesday during treatment at a private hospital in Udaipur, while Kirti Kumari, who represented the Mandalgarh constituency, died due to swine flu in August last year.

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