Maha: Assembly Privileges Committee meeting on Aug 6 over brawl at Vidhan Bhavan

Mumbai, Aug 5 The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly’s Privileges Committee will meet on August 6 to discuss the issue of a brawl between supporters of legislators Jitendra Awhad and Gopichand Padalkar in the premises of Vidhan Bhavan during the monsoon session of the state legislature held in July.

According to the sources, the Privileges Committee will deliberate on the scuffle issue on Wednesday after the Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narwekar, on July 18 announced in he lower house to hand over the matter to the Privileges Committee.

The supporters of NCP (SP) MLA Awhad and BJP's Padalkar came to blows in the legislature building lobby during the monsoon session on July 17, a day after the two legislators were involved in a heated exchange. Two supporters -- one each of the two legislators -- were later arrested.

Speaker Narwekar also announced that criminal proceedings had been initiated through FIRs lodged at the Marine Drive police station. While supporters of Awhad and Padalkar were arrested, Awhad was booked for allegedly obstructing public servants from performing their duties.

He also declared that an ethics committee on the lines of Parliament, empowered to disqualify members, will be formed to ensure proper conduct of the legislators.

“In connection with this unpleasant incident, I am bringing to the attention of all the members that while performing our duties as members of the Bhavan, we have the responsibility and duty to maintain the highest traditions of the state legislature, which is called the temple of democracy. Such incidents should not happen again, and legislators should take due care,” observed Speaker Narwekar.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also condemned the incident.

"The speaker and the chairman should take a serious note of it. I have requested them to take strict action. This is not worthy of the culture of the legislature," he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray also demanded strict action against the goons.

"Those are not political workers, but goons. Is this what we have reduced to?" asked Thackeray.

--IANS

sj/dan

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