Session begins with walkout

MUMBAI, July 7: The three-week monsoon session of the State Legislature got off to a stormy start today as opposition members in both the H...

MUMBAI, July 7: The three-week monsoon session of the State Legislature got off to a stormy start today as opposition members in both the Houses resorted to intense sloganeering to protest against the attacks on elected representatives as well as members of the fourth estate.

In the Lower House, opposition members, who displayed banners denouncing the alliance government, staged a noisy walkout when speaker Dattaji Nalawade disallowed their adjournment motion, while in the Upper House, they entered the well to press their demand for a discussion on the deteriorating law and order situation.

Digvijay Khanvilkar Congress and Narsaiyya Adam CPM moved an adjournment notice immediately after the question hour to demand a debate on the worsening law and order situation. Both Khanvilkar and Adam pointed out that state youth Congress president Anees Ahmad was deliberately beaten by the police at Nagpur, while another Congress legislator Ashok Mohol was attacked by Sena workers at Pune.

Leader of opposition Madhukar Pichad alleged that prominent leaders of the opposition parties as well noted social workers were harassed by the police to oblige the Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government. 8220;It is unfortunate that the alliance government is justifying such attacks on legislators and social workers,8221; Pichad said.

Replying to the charges, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi reiterated that his government was determined to maintain law and order in the state at any cost. 8220;Specific directives have been given to the law enforcing agencies to deal strongly with those taking law into their own hands,8221; Joshi said.

Referring to the attack on Anees Ahmad, Joshi said that he had extended a personal invitation to prominent leaders of that party in the wake of the Congress announcement that it will take out a procession at Nagpur on June 20, to protest against the alliance government. 8220;Despite three personal invitations from me as well as from Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde, there was absolutely no response,8221; Joshi said.

He said the procession led by Ahmad, not only broke barricades, but also pelted stones at police and vehicles on the roads. 8220;In such a situation, the police had no alternative but to resort to cane charge,8221; Joshi added.Condemning the behaviour of the Congress workers, Joshi said they were a frustrated lot, as their party was dying in the state. He claimed that they knew Congress wouldn8217;t come to power in the state for the next two decades. 8220;Their frustration is more as their state leader fared badly in the national political level of that party,8221; he remarked.

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In the Upper House, opposition members led by Vyankappa Patki Janata Dal raised slogans against the government, demanding a debate on the law and order situation in the state.

After the opposition members staged a walkout, the remaining business on the agenda was transacted in just 30 minutes. The house passed the Coroners Amendment Bill and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority Amendment Bill. In fact, opposition members Adam and Meenakshi Patil had given a notice to circulate the bills to the joint select committee. However, since both were absent, the bills were passed unanimously.