Congress Legislature Party leader Virbhadra Singh, who along with some other MLAs, displayed BJP-HVC posters in the House, alleged that the state government had violated all norms, conventions and rules by holding a political rally at the Ridge. ``It is a well known fact and convention that except the President or Prime Minister no other person can address the rally at the Ridge,'' he said, while drawing attention of the Speaker towards the adjournment motion of CLP.

The Speaker, responding to the issue, said he had received a reply of the government on the adjournment motion and that he had examined the matter in detail. The motion, he announced, did not come within the purview of the rules and thus he was not allowing the same in the House.

The issue figured in the Assembly after the question hour, when Virbhadra wanted to know the fate of the adjournment motion. He asserted that posters, which carried the photographs of state BJP president Suresh Chandel and HVC supremo Sukh Ram, prove beyond doubts that the rally organised on March 24 was purely a political show aimed to celebrate one-year of BJP-HVC coalition government.

``We have no objection to such celebrations but basic issue involves the violation of the rules, norms and conventions in holding suich a function at the ridge,'' he protested. The CLP leader also reminded the House about a similar controversy in 1977, when late Raj Naraian, who was a minister in then Janata Party government at the Centre, was refused permission for the rally of Shanta Kumar led-Janata party government.

Strongly opposing Virbhadra's contention, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the March 24 rally at the Ridge was a government function and by doing so, the BJP-HVC, which had completed its one year in power, had not violated any rule. He also informed the House that the Ridge was the most appropriate venue keeping in view the security aspects and threat perception for Union Home Minister L.K. Advani.

On BJP-HVC posters, Dhumal said such posters were published for mobilisation of people for the rally. He said no party flag was displayed at the Ridge and all expenses were borne by the government.

This as well as the Speaker's ruling did not satisfy Virbhadra and the entire CLP staged a walk-out from the Assembly terming the reply of Chief Minister as an `after-thought'. Congress MLA Brij Bihari Butail, who returned to the House immediately after the walk-out, was persuaded by another party MLA G.S. Bali to join fellow members raising slogans outside the House.

Later CLP leader explained to newsmen, outside the Assembly that Butail had gone to collect some papers.

Condemning the Congress action, Dhumal alleged that the Congress had been playing destructive politics and it had no love for the interests of the state. He said the Home Minister, during his visit, had sanctioned one additional India Reserve Battalion for the state and assured all help to the state in fighting the problem of militancy in Chamba. ``The Congress, which had been claiming to be champion of the cause of Chamba people, had shown scant regard for the issues concerning state's security,'' he alleged.

The Chief Minister reminded that the Congress government had given permission to industrialists to organise a consumer fair on the Ridge. He declared that BJP-HVC coalition, which was going to last its full term, would celebrate its birthday at the Ridge every year like this.

Later talking to newsmen outside the House, Virbhadra Singh contested Chief Minister's claim that the said event was a government function. He said the posters issued jointly by BJP and HVC carrying pictures of Suresh Chandel and Sukh Ram make it amply clear that the rally was political function. He alleged that the Chief Minister had tried to mislead the House and thus all the Congress MLAs had staged the walk-out. He also denied that the Congress had ever had violated the norms and rules to allow political functions on the Ridge.