Oppn stalls Assembly proceedings for second consecutive day

Mumbai, Apr 10 (UNI) The Shiv Sena-BJP Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly stalled proceedings for the second consecutive day today demanding the arrest of Revenue Minister Narayan Rane and raising the issue of loadshedding.

The Lower House witnessed two adjournments before being finally adjourned for the day at 1340 hrs. When the House assembled at 1100 hrs this morning for Question Hour, five questions were called but the members against whose names they were listed were not present in the House.

Later, Leader of Opposition Ramdas Kadam stood up to ask the whereabouts of Mr Rane. ''Where is Mr Rane? Is he in Jail? The House should be given information in this connection,'' Mr Kadam said.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and his deputy R R Patil were present in the House at that time.

Mr Rane, an estranged Sena leader who is celebrating his 55th birthday today, was not present in the House.

Opposition members entered the well of the House and raised slogans against Mr Rane, demanding his resignation and arrest in view of the FIR against him during the by-election campaign in Ramtek Lok Sabha constituency last week.

Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar adjourned the House till the end of the Question Hour.

When the House re-assembled, a motion condoling the death of former member Ravindra Shankarrao More was taken up followed by tabling of reports of State Government corporations.

Shiv Sena member Arjun Khotkar raised the issue of violence in Jalna town in Marathwada region following desecration of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue, to which the Chief Minister said the situation in the town was tense but peaceful. The entire town was placed under curfew and adequate police force had been deployed. He also appealed to the people to maintain peace.

Sudhir Mungantiwar of the BJP raised the issue of increasing power cuts in the state especially in the rural areas. The Opposition was again on its feet shouting slogans against the Government, and Energy Minister Dilip Walse-Patil in particular. The Opposition members demanded that the Minister should make a statement on the steps taken by the Government to provide relief to people reeling under acute power scarcity.

''We want power not mere announcements,'' the members shouted.

Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar said Mr Walse-Patil has left for New Delhi to attend an important meeting relating to the power sector.

Since the sloganeering continued, the House was again adjourned for 20 minutes. After the House re-assembled, the sloganeering continued. Presiding officer Janardan Chandurkar rushed through the business listed on the agenda like budgetary demands of the Co-operation, Marketing, Textiles, Agriculture, Animal Husbandary, Dairy Development and Fisheries departments. The bill to amend the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act 1966 was re-introduced amid the din.

Cooperation Minister Dr Patangrao Kadam's reply to last week's debate on the sugar industry, especially the situation arising out of the excess production of sugarcane, had to be postponed for the second time today.

UNI