The first day of the state's two-day monsoon session saw a sharp rift between the ruling party and the opposition. As the discussion on the OBC reservation resolution continued, some members created ruckus in the House. Twelve BJP MLAs were suspended from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for one year after the state government accused them of "misbehaving" with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker's chamber on Monday.
Speaker Jadhav said, “When the House was adjourned, opposition leaders came to my cabin and abused me in front of LoP Devendra Fadnavis and senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil.”
This is an insult not to Bhaskar Jadhav, but to the presiding officer. This has never happened in the history of Maharashtra. "Today is a black day for me," said Bhaskar Jadhav, the party's chairman.
While giving details of the ruckus held during the discussion on the OBC reservation resolution, Speaker Bhaskar Jadhav slammed the BJP members. "This has never happened in the history of Maharashtra. The opposition crossed the line. They started to abuse me. According to reports, when Presiding Officer Bhaskar Jadhav put the resolution for vote, few BJP members climbed up the Speaker's podium and argued with the Chair.
While the Opposition has alleged that the Speaker in-chair had also abused the opposition leaders.
"I have come to know that the media was given false information that I was abusive. But if i have uttered a single unparliamentary word or swear, I am ready to take the punishment. But I never used unparliamentary term. Today is the blackest day of my life. This incident is a disgrace to the culture of Maharashtra. Speaker Bhaskar Jadhav has also appealed to the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and sought a probe into the incident.