Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly after Congress members demanded suspension of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena members for hitting a poster of Rahul Gandhi with footwear over his alleged remarks against Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar.
The House was adjourned three times as pandemonium prevailed due to sloganeering by Congress legislators and the treasury benches.
The members of the BJP and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena had on Thursday hit the poster of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with slippers on the stairs of the Maharashtra Legislature complex.
As soon as the proceedings of the House began for the day, Nana Patole (Congress) demanded that treasury bench members who hit Gandhi’s posters with footwear be suspended from the House.
Responding to the demand, Speaker Rahul Narvekar said he has sought a report of the developments in the legislature complex and will get the video footage.
Let me examine the footage and then I will give my ruling. I will not go against the principles of natural justice, he said. Enraged, the opposition members rushed to the Well of the House and shouted slogans in support of Rahul Gandhi.
Culture Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar objected to some references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by members protesting in the well. Narvekar said what they have said will not go on record.
Due to the din, the House was first adjourned for 20 minutes. Later, presiding officer Sanjay Shirsat adjourned it twice – first for 15 minutes and then for 20 minutes.