Row in Assembly,all Cong MLAs suspended

Led by Leader of Opposition Shankersinh Vaghela,the Congress members from the start of the Assembly demanded suspension of the Question Hour under rule number 108 for discussion on four important issues. Congress chief whip Balvantsinh Rajput raised the demand saying that instead of Question Hour,the House should discuss these issues. Speaker Vaju Vala rejected the demand saying that he had no power to suspend the Question Hour. This prompted the Congress members to shout slogans against the government and Modi,who was present in the House,and they also displayed placards and banners. Later,they rushed to the well of the House shouting slogans against Modi. Amid the din,Finance minister Nitin Patel moved a motion to suspend NCP MLA Jayant Patel and Congress MLAs,excluding Vaghela. The Speaker suspended them. This resulted in the Congress intensifying its protest,after which Patel moved a motion to suspend all Congress legislators,including Vaghela. The motion was passed after which the Speaker suspended all Opposition MLAs present in the House for two days.

Later,terming the suspension as ‘unconstitutional’,the Congress announced that it would boycott the session. “As they have suspended us,we have decided to boycott the rest of the session. What is the use of going to the House when problems faced by the people cannot be raised,” Vaghela said after coming out of the House.

Two important Bills — Gujarat Lokayukta Commission Bill 2013 and Gujarat State School Commission 2013 — returned by Governor Dr Kamla Beniwala,with special remarks,will be tabled in this session.

In the absence of Congress MLAs,the Question Hour was conducted followed by introduction of condolence proposal for those who died in Uttarakhand flood tragedy and for BJP MLA Kishor Vankawala. As per the norms of Assembly,the House was adjourned soon after.