Jayant Patil: ‘My suspension is nothing but dictatorial manner of dealing with Oppn when ruling side cornered’

From day one of the Winter Session, we have witnessed absolute neglect from the Assembly Speaker. The ruling side is given a chance to speak without any interference but when it comes to the Opposition, we are either completely denied an opportunity to speak or very few members are allowed to voice their opinion.

Today, when more than 10 ruling MLAs spoke about the Disha Salian case, we demanded that our voices be also heard.

We repeatedly requested the Speaker to allow Bhaskar Jadhav of Shiv Sena to speak but he was constantly denying our requests.

I told the Speaker to not act like a shameless person. I never called him shameless. Despite that the ruling side used its majority to suppress my voice and I was suspended.

Nationalist Congress Party workers protest over suspension of the party State President Jayant Patil from the Winter Session, in Solapur, Maharashtra, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022. (PTI Photo)

Do you regret using the words?

I did not call the Assembly Speaker shameless. I said ‘don’t act like one’. My suspension is nothing but a dictatorial manner of dealing with the Opposition when the ruling side is cornered. Aren’t we even supposed to protest when we are denied our democratic right? The Shinde-Fadnavis government wants to sideline the Opposition, but it won’t happen.

Why do you think the Disha Salian case was raised in the legislature today?

This government is on the backfoot on many issues – right from the objectionable comments against Chhatrapti Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar to the recent land scam that involves the chief minister. The Opposition has been aggressively raising these issues and is making the government defensive.

Today, we were going to expose the chief minister with documents and the ruling side wanted to divert the issue. That’s why they brought up the old case, which has already been probed by central agencies.

Will the action against you weaken the Opposition?

There is no question of the Opposition becoming weak. Even if I am suspended from the House for the entire Winter Session, I can and will continue to raise all these issues against the government from outside the legislature. Our voice cannot be suppressed, but instead will only get louder.