Rajasthan assembly adjourned thrice amid ruckus by BJP over REET paper leak case, four MLAs suspended
JAIPUR: Four BJP MLAs were suspended for the rest of the Rajasthan assembly session for creating ruckus in the House on Thursday.
Parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal moved a proposal to suspend the BJP MLAs Ramlal, Madan Dilawar, Avinash Gehlot, and Chandrabhan Akya for the rest of the session, which was passed by the voice vote.
The BJP members have been protesting in the House demanding a CBI inquiry in the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) paper leak case.
The uproar led to four adjournments on Thursday.
During the debate on the Motion of Thanks on Governor's speech, the BJP MLAs, who were protesting in the Well of the House while holding papers having demand of CBI inquiry printed on them, moved towards CIP (M) MLA Balwan Poonia who was speaking on the debate.
They moved close to Poonia while protesting, leading to confrontation among the opposition and ruling MLAs following which the House was adjourned, which was for the fourth time in the day.
Unruly scenes were witnessed during this as the members pushed each other.
After the House was reassembled, Dhariwal moved a proposal to suspend 4 MLAs, which was passed by the House and they were suspended.
He said that when Balwan Poonia was speaking on the debate, the opposition members reached closed to him and disrupted him.
Dhariwal alleged misbehaviour was done, abuses were hurled and the conduct of the opposition was condemnable.
After the House passed the proposal by voice vote, the chairperson Rajendra Pareek suspended the four MLAs named by Dhariwal and asked them to go.
Poonia then resumed his address.
During this, the BJP members continued their protest in the Well of the House demanding CBI inquiry in the REET paper leak and against the suspension of 4 MLAs.
Earlier in the day, the House witnessed three adjournments due to the continued protest of the opposition.
As soon as the proceedings of the House began at 11 am, BJP MLAs stormed to the Well, raising slogans in support of their demand.
The Speaker CP Joshi asked them to return to their seats while assuring that they will be given a chance to speak on this during the Zero Hour.
"It is unfortunate, everyone has the right to speak in democracy but the opposition cannot impose themselves on assembly proceedings. I strongly condemn this," Joshi said.
He said adjournment should not be there in the Question Hour, and such tradition (of disrupting the Q Hour) should not be encouraged.
"If it does then parliamentary democracy will be in danger, and the responsibility will be of BJP. The BJP is not doing justice to the public. The kind of work they are doing will bring injustice to the youth of Rajasthan. I urge and appeal to all to follow the parliamentary system. I will allow them to speak during Zero Hour and the government will give its statement on REET," he said.
Meanwhile, replying to a question related to cases of paper leaks in the last three years, Dhariwal said a total of eight cases had been registered in which 85 arrests were made.
Hitting out at the opposition, he said, "A total of five exam papers leaked during the previous government, which included two REET exams, 2016 and 2018. But they did not hand over the probe to SOG, and today they are demanding a CBI probe."
He said that during the previous BJP government - In 2014, the exam papers of Rajasthan Administrative Services and Rajasthan Judicial Services were leaked; in 2013 lower divisional clerk; and in 2018 paper of Jail guard were leaked but none of the cases was given to SOG.
Dhariwal said 10, 11, 12, and 18 people were arrested by the previous government in various paper leak cases respectively whereas, in the REET-21 case, more than 38 people have been arrested by the SOG so far.
"As the investigation was not done in various paper leak cases by the previous government, the courage of the gang increased, but now a bill will be brought in this regard by the government, strict provisions have been made in the bill so that paper leak cases are stopped," he said.
When the uproar continued despite repeated directions, the Speaker adjourned the House for 20 minutes till 12 noon.
When the House reassembled again, the BJP MLAs continued to raise slogans and ruckus in the Well of the House.
A few minutes later, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm.
The House was adjourned again for a third time by the chairperson till 3 pm due to the uproar.
It is noteworthy that the state government has cancelled the level 2 exam of REET held in September last year.
The BJP is demanding a CBI probe in the matter which is being investigated by the Special Operation Group of Rajasthan Police.