The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly on Friday for using “unparliamentary” language in the lower House.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Girish Bapat moved a resolution in the House accusing Mr.Awhad of using “unparliamentary” language and disrupting the Chief Minister’s speech after Mr.Awhad indulged in a war of words with Cabinet Minister Prakash Mehta.
Speaker Haribhau Bagde put the resolution to voice vote and declared the suspension of Mr.Awhad till the end of winter session.
“Please take out the records of your (BJP leaders’) speeches when you were in the Opposition. You people had used much more deplorable words in the House, but now you are targeting Mr.Awhad, using your number strength,” alleged senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar and announced that his party would boycott the winter session.
Both the Congress and the NCP staged a walkout.
‘I am being targeted’Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Awhad alleged that he was being targeted for being “proactive” against the government in the House. “I did not use unparliamentary words inside the house. Had I committed a mistake, the entire Opposition and my party would not have supported me. The government wants to kill our voice. My suspension is the murder of democracy,” Mr.Awhad.
Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal claimed that Mr. Awhad was sitting in his chair when the alleged remarks were made.
“Remarks made by a member while sitting in his seat cannot be taken on record. How can the Speaker suspend our MLA for something which is not even the part of the record of the House? The NCP will boycott the entire session if Mr.Awhad's suspension is not revoked,” said Mr.Bhujbal.
The Upper House also witnessed pandemonium when Congress and NCP members shouted slogans against the government for not providing “enough and timely help” to farmers. The House witnessed seven adjournments before being adjourned till Monday.
