four adjournments over Dy speaker-Oppn stand off in assembly

Mumbai,Mar 28 (UNI) Maharashtra Legislative Assembly had to be adjourned four times due to a stand off between Deputy Speaker Pramod Shende and opposition Shiv Sena-BJP over BJP group leader Eknath Khadse not being allowed to speak.

Matters reached to a point where Arjun Khotkar (Shiv Sena) was suspended for a day for showing disrespect to the Deputy Speaker.The suspension was however revoked after the house resumed following the fourth adjournment after which the member concerned apologised for his conduct.

The ruckus started when BJP group leader Eknath Khadse stood to speak on the calling attention notice on the gas pipeline project being undertaken by GAIL for Ratnagiri Gas and Power Project.Instead, Mr Shende,who was in the chair,allowed another opposition member to speak. Incensed, Mr Khadse took objection and sat down.

Leader of Opposition Ramdas Kadam criticised the chair for not allowing Mr Khadse to speak. The entire opposition staged a walkout in protest.

When the opposition members returned, they squatted in the well and started singing 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'. Mr Shende adjourned the house for five minutes.

When the house resumed, Girish Bapat (BJP) argued with Mr Shende for not allowing opposition members to speak. To which, Mr Shende replied that all MLAs were equal to him and several of them wanted to speak.

While responding to a comment from the opposition benches, Mr Shende asked,''Should I leave.'' To which, Arjun Khotkar (Shiv Sena) gestured to the Deputy Speaker to leave. This angered Mr Shende as he said the opposition members had insulted the chair and not him personally.

Treasury benches took objection to Khotkar's conduct and demanded action. Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil apologised to Mr Shende.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Patil moved a motion seeking suspension of the membership of Mr Khotkar for a day which was adopted by a voice vote.

Later, Opposition members gathered in the well and shouted slogans against Mr Shende and Mr Patil. Mr Khotkar remained in the house along with the other opposition members.

The house was adjourned thrice -twice for 30 minutes and later for 15 minutes as leaders from Treasury and opposition benches tried to resolve the stand off.

UNI