MUMBAI: The two-day Maharashtra Assembly’s Monsoon session started on a stormy note with the suspension of 12 BJP MLAs for one year for their “misbehaviour” with the presiding officer in the Speaker’s chamber. NCP leader and minister Nawab Malik accused the BJP members of misbehaving with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav. The Assembly was adjourned four times over the issue.
Parliamentary affair minister Anil Parab tabled the motion to suspend the BJP MLAs — Parag Alwani, Ram Satpute, Sanjay Kute, Ashish Shelar, Abhimannu Pawar, Girish Mahajan, Atul Bhatkhalkar, Shirish Pingale, Jaykumar Rawal, Yogesh Sagar, Narayan Kuche, and Kirtikumar Bhangdia — in the House. It was approved by a majority in the Assembly.
The opposition BJP protested this decision and walked out from the House. Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said that the charges were false and the BJP MLAs were being targeted to reduce the opposition numbers in House.
“We protest against this decision. If our members are made mistakes, we are ready to apologize, but no coercive actions,” the senior BJP leader said.
But, Jadhav said that the BJP MLAs abused and tried to manhandle him when he was present in the speaker’s chamber.
“I have been a member and even minister for several years, but never witnessed such unfortunate incident. The opposition and treasury benches do make allegations and counter-allegations. Sometimes, these arguments are heated, but later everyone walks out peacefully.” he said.
“No one brings personal grudge outside the House. But for the first time, the BJP MLAs abused and manhandled me.”Later, the suspended MLAs met the Governor BS Koshyari and requested him to seek a report from the government over this episode.