Mah Assembly adjourned after verbal duel between Rane, Kadam

Nagpur, Nov 30 (UNI) The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly was adjourned twice, for ten minutes each, amid sloganeering by members from both sides of the House after a verbal duel between Revenue Minister Narayan Rane and Leader of the Opposition Ramdas Kadam during a special sitting today.

Officiating Speaker Sudhakar Paricharak adjourned the House for ten minutes as members from the treasury as well as opposition benches trooped into the well of the House raising slogans against each other. The sloganeering continued after the House reconvened, and Mr Paricharak adjourned it again for ten minutes, at the end of the period coinciding with the conclusion of the morning's special sitting. The House will now reconvene for the question hour.

Trouble erupted after Mr Rane sought to make a personal clarification vide Rule 48 about remarks made by Mr Kadam earlier in a speech. Mr Rane said Mr Kadam had claimed that an offence had been registered against ''a minister'' on the basis of an affidavit filed by one Anna Bargad in court, and had demanded that the Minister should be arrested.

When Mr Kadam said he had not named anyone, Mr Rane retorted that ''nobody dare do so.'' Mr Kadam shot back sayingit was not a question of courage and that he had enough to name anybody. Mr Rane responded by saying he didn't need to listen to someone who ''read out his speeches.'' This triggered vociferous reactions from the ruling and opposition members, who trooped into the well of the House raising slogans, forcing Mr Paricharak to adjourn the House.

UNI