Maharashtra: 12 BJP MLAs suspended for one year

BJP MLA Ram Satpute was among the 12 suspended MLAs. Pic/PTI

Twelve Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs were suspended on Monday on the charges of creating a ruckus in the House and misbehaving with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav. Jadhav alleged that the legislators verbally abused and manhandled him while he was seated in the Speaker's chamber. The opposition party has claimed political vendetta behind the suspension.

The two-day monsoon session began with Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis calling out the Maha Vikas Aghadi government for freezing the parliamentary tool that the members use to raise questions, table resolutions and plan debates. There was a fiery exchange between the two sides.

The MLAs were suspended after they objected to the explanation of a government resolution, which has sought the OBCs' empirical data from the Centre to restore political reservation that has been stalled by the Supreme Court. Fadnavis alleged that senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal had presented misleading information while tabling the resolution. His party colleagues demanded to speak but left their seats when denied permission, shouting slogans. The resolution was passed amid ruckus, and in the meanwhile, some MLAs tried to break the speaker's microphone.

Devendra Fadnavis, BJP leader

Later, the legislators approached the deputy speaker's cabin where Jadhav was seated. Jadhav said he was verbally abused and manhandled by the BJP legislators, and he even requested Fadnavis to control his colleagues, but in vain.

Fadnavis refuted the charge, claiming Jadhav wasn't abused or manhandled. He said his party colleagues had apologised to Jadhav [for the ruckus] and called a truce. It was Jadhav who used unparliamentary words, the former CM said. "I cannot repeat those words here," he told reporters.

Many seniors out

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab tabled a resolution to suspend former ministers Sanjay Kute, Ashish Shelar (chief whip), Girish Mahajan and Jaikumar Rawal, and Yogesh Sagar, Abhimanyu Pawar, Atul Bhatkalkar, Parag Alavni, Harish Pimpale, Ram Satpute, Narayan Kuche and Kirtikumar ‘Bunty' Bhangadia.

The BJP boycotted the remaining proceedings. It's strength of 106 has been reduced to 94. Sources said they didn't expect premature lifting of the suspension.

Fadnavis said the MVA cannot hold the Speaker's election when a dozen MLAs are under suspension. But some suspended legislators said they were expecting the government to do something about the elections on Tuesday, the last day of the monsoon session. "In this particular case, we have supported the resolution passed today, but maintained that it will not help the state," Fadnavis said.

Later, in the evening, the suspended MLAs petitioned Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. Shelar said they have urged the governor to ask for a report from the government, because the incident was a well-hatched conspiracy. "The government created a story that didn't exist. Let the governor verify it."

"Where did the number 12 come from. The MLAs who weren't in the cabin or anywhere near it have also been picked," Shelar said. Many people linked the number of suspended MLAs to the 12 names the governor hasn't nominated yet as the members of Upper House.

By July end, MPSC to get members

Vacancies of the state Public Service Commission members, who conduct and supervise the recruitment process, will be appointed before July 31, the MVA government assured on Monday. The commission is under attack after Swapnil Lonkar, 24, killed himself because he was not called for an interview even after he cleared the qualifying exams. Devendra Fadnavis and Sudhir Mungantiwar raised the issue in the Assembly. In response, deputy CM Ajit Pawar blamed the SC order and the pandemic for not completing the recruitment process by autonomous MPSC.