Kamble issue: Sena-BJP members walk out

Mumbai, Mar 24: The Opposition Shiv Sena and BJP members today staged a walk out from the State Legislative Assembly to protest against the government's failure to provide protection to a social activist, Chetan Kamble, who has filed a public interest litigation against Revenue Minister Narayan Rane.

The social activist has filed the PIL, accusing Mr Rane of abusing the powers vested in him and reviewing his own order that he had passed when he was chief minister in 1998.

Leader of the Opposition Ramdas Kadam tried to raise the issue during Question Hour. The House was adjourned twice for 20 minutes as the furore continued.

Mr Rane intervened at this point and said that the issue had been raised once and, so, cannot be repeated.

However, the Opposition members said they were not raising the issue to which the order pertains -- the allotment of over five acres of land to a private party - but were raising the issue of providing protection to Mr Kamble who has filed the PIL.

The subject was again raised by Mr Kadam after Question Hour but Prof Janardhan Chandurkar, who was on the Speaker's chair, said he would not allow the subject for discussion.

Angered by the decision, Shiv Sena and BJP members staged a walk out raising slogans against the government.

UNI