14 Sena-BJP MLAs suspended after ruckus over temple theft

The legislators had entered the House wearing saffron scarves while some held small cymbals in their hands. Sarnaik carried the idol and placed it on his bench. Following a half-hour adjournment,the protesters entered the well of the House and refused to allow proceedings to continue. Another hour-long adjournment followed,after which Patil moved the suspension resolution.

The Assembly was adjourned soon after the resolution was passed. The scheduled business for the day included a debate on the various corruption cases against Congress leaders such as the disproportionate assets case against former Mumbai Congress president Kripashankar Singh and court strictures against former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in the Whistling Woods case,as well as the Adarsh scam.

BJP legislators had remained seated throughout the drama on Friday,without participating in the aarti. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and BJP legislator Eknath Khadse later said the ruling combine had tried to scuttle the discussion on the corruption scandals. Asked how the BJP can make such an allegation when their own alliance partner had caused the commotion,Khadse said,“But why didn’t they continue the proceedings after the suspension resolution? What was the need for an adjournment?”

Khadse said the BJP had no prior information about the protest. He said he had approached Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil to lodge his opposition to the suspension of party legislator Ram Shinde. “He did not participate in the protest.”

Sena group leader in the House Subhash Desai said they had anticipated some action but the one-year suspension was a harsh move. “There was no problem in continuing the House proceedings. They were trying to avoid a discussion on corruption.”

Thane MLA Eknath Shinde,one among those who led the protest,said the suspension was excessive and unfortunate. “It is a murder of democracy. The government is not acting on the case. We were representing the people’s feelings when we sought action.”

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena group leader Bala Nandgaonkar said the Opposition parties were not taken into confidence while staging this protest. They did not support the MLAs’ actions in the House nor the government move to suspend them for a year. “They could have been suspended for this session for their behaviour but not a year. It is unfair on the people they represent,” he said.