Council adjourned amid pandemonium

Mumbai, Mar 29 (UNI) Pandemonium prevailed in the Maharashtra Legislative Council today with Opposition members, led by Leader of the Opposition Pandurang Phundkar and Nitin Gadkari, resorted to a ''sit in'' demonstration during the budgetary discussion.

When Council deputy chairman Vasant Davkhare called the speakers for the discussion on the budgetary demands, Mr Phundkar said the Opposition would not allow the proceedings of the House and would resort to a ''sit in'' demonstration.

At this stage, Chief Minister Vilasrao Desmukh admitted that Governor S M Krishna had with-held the appropriation bill as he was doubtful about the proper distribution of funds to all the regions.

Mr Deshmukh said he himself, Finance Minister Jayant Patil and Irrigation Minister Ajit Pawar had discussed the issue with the Governor and cleared his doubts following which the Governor, later, gave his permission.

He said the Tapi Irrigation Project has been allocated Rs 385 crore. The Governor, he said, has agreed that out of this, Rs 100 crore would be provided for the project this year and the rest during the next financial year.

Mr Phundkar demanded that the House should be informed about the recommendations on expenditure made by the Governor.

He demanded that the Government should clarify why the amount of Rs 393 crore was raised to Rs 1245 crore, and wondered at backlog in Jalgaon district for the first time. He alleged that this indicates that the money allocated to this district has been transferred to other regions.

Chief Minister said the Governor had given directives on how to spend the money in every district.

''Now it will not be possible to divert the funds from one project or region to another and the Government will take care that the backlog may not be created,'' Mr Deshmukh said.

Mr Diwakar Raote (Sena) wondered why the Government had not diverted the amount for Vidarbha and Marathwada to Khandesh which was facing backlog, instead of diverting it to Western Maharashtra.

Mr Nitin Gadkari (BJP) raised the issue that the Government should come clean on the letter given by Governor. He said though the Government was saying no such letter was given, the extracts of the letter were published in media.

Din prevailed in the House as Sena and BJP members raised slogans demanding to see the letter from the Governor following which Mr Davkhare adjourned the House first time for ten minutes.

Later, as the House reassembled for the budgetary discussion, the Opposition continued to interrupt the proceedings forcing Mr Davkhare to adjourn the House again for five minutes. Later, finally, Mr Davkhare adjourned the House.

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