MUMBAI: A day after the scuffle at the Maharashtra state legislative assembly premises, Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday announced setting up an ethics panel, empowered to disqualify members, within a week.
He also said that visitors will not be allowed in Vidhan Bhavan when the session is on.
On Thursday, BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar brought goons, who face serious charges against them, to the Vidhan Bhavan and instructed them to attack NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad’s close aide Nitish Deshmukh thereby causing an uproar in the House.
Speaker Rahul Narwekar said that taking cognizance of the untoward incidents a decision has been taken to set up an ethics panel. Moreover, he urged Gopichand Padalkar and Jitendra Awhad to express regret for the incident.
Following this, Padalkar acquiesced but Jitendra Awhad declined to apologize claiming that the Speaker tabled false information on the floor of the House. He said Nitin Deshmukh did not accompany him and that he came separately.
“At the time when the brawl broke out, I was not in the Vidhan Bhavan. I have nothing to do with this brawl,” Awhad clarified.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis intervened saying that this brawl has sullied the image of the House and MLAs as well.
“People are not happy with us. They say Amdar majale – MLAs are drunk with power therefore he urged the need to work collectively to improve the image of the House and lawmakers.”
Rahul Narwekar said within a week, they will form the panel and even prepare the standard operating procedures as well.
“We have also taken a decision that in the premises of Vidhan Bhavan, only members of both the Houses, their respective personal assistants and government officers will be allowed to enter.
Besides, ministers who conduct the meeting during the session at Vidhan Bhavan will not be allowed to hold the meeting. The ministers should call the meeting at Mantralaya. If they want to call the meetings at Vidhan Bhavan, they should first seek the permission from the speaker of the state assembly,” he said.
He added that a decision has also been taken to ban the entry of visitors inside the Vidhan Bhavan when the assembly session is on.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai police registered FIR against Jitendra Awhad for not allowing the police to perform their duty.
When Nitin Deshmukh was arrested by the police, Awhad tried to block the police vehicle at the Vidhan Bhavan on Thursday late night saying Deshmukh had done nothing wrong and still he was framed and arrested.
He said the goons were brought by BJP MLA inside Vidhan Bhavan without any valid entry pass and these goons attacked Deshmukh.
“Irony is that the action has been taken against the Deshmukh, not against the guilty and criminals because they belong to BJP,” Awhad alleged.