MVA, opposition spar over privilege motions against Kangana, Arnab

Arnab Goswami and Kangana Ranaut

The action initiated against news anchor Arnab Goswami and actress Kangana Ranaut continued to be at the centre of all discussions in the legislative assembly on Tuesday with the Uddhav Thackeray government and the BJP-led opposition sparring over it. While the BJP accused the MVA government of misusing the power and privileges of the legislators, the government responded by questioning the opposition over using Central agencies against those who speak against it.

Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis and his party colleague Sudhir Mungantiar raised the issue. Fadnavis said the BJP did not agree with the statements made by Goswami and Ranaut, but the action taken against them was a blatant misuse of power while at least 50 relevant laws were available to deal with the erring people.

Mungantiwar engaged the government when the chairman of the breach of privilege committee Deepak Kesarkar sought extension for submitting a report in the motion against Goswami. The permission was granted after due deliberations. Earlier, the motion was taken up by Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik in September accusing the news anchor of insulting CM Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar. Kangana faced a motion from the upper house in the same session. Sarnaik moved another notice against Kangana on Monday for defaming his family and him.

Mungantiwar said the MLA should use defamation laws to seek justice instead of using the right to privilege he gets as a public representative.

"It is important how a government conducts itself in the rule of the law. Whoever writes or speaks against you is arrested. This is selective action taken by the government. This isn't Pakistan. This is democracy not dictatorship," said Fadnavis.

Reacting to the charges, Thackeray said, "You get the Enforcement Directorate to act against people you don't like. Pratap (Sarnaik) is facing the same. The entire family is being hounded. It seems the ED would not spare Pratap's grandchild, who is not even born yet. This is perverse politics." The CM added, "And yet you accuse us of enforcing an undeclared emergency. We will not take this lightly."

'Won't respond to SC notices'

Later in the day, the lower house decided to not respond to the notices issued by the Supreme Court (SC) in a petition moved by Goswami. The apex court has served a notice to a deputy secretary of the state legislature for contempt. Speaker Nana Patole emphasised the independence of the legislature and tabled a resolution informing the house that similar resolutions were passed in cases where the accused had approached the SC. As per the decision, the Speaker, legislature's secretaries and other officials and MLAs would not appear in any court in this particular case and not respond to notices or summons.

Bills postponed

Two draft bills for expediting the detection and awarding of sentences, including capital punishment and life term, in offences of rape, gang rape and acid attacks against women and serious crimes against children, have been sent to a joint select committee of the legislature. Following the opposition's suggestion that such important bills should not be passed in haste, the government agreed to have 21 legislators from both houses to study the draft and suggest changes, if any.

The bills have evoked a mixed response, with some senior lawyers and women rights activists objecting to the provision of capital punishment. The draft bills provide for completion of probes in 15 instead of 60 working days, completion of the trial in 30 instead of 60 working days and the reduction of the period for appeal from six months to 45 days. District and city police would have a special team, with at least one senior police officer, to probe crimes against women and children (especially girls below 16 years of age).

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