Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Babsaheb Kupekar today briefly adjourned the House, expressing anguish over the failure of the Congress-led government to honour his directions on providing security to underworld don-turned-MLA Arun Gawli. The government later announced it would provide security to Gawli soon. Soon after Question Hour, Chinchpokli MLA Gawli raised the issue of his security as a point of propriety. Gawli demanded explanation from the government why security was not provided to him despite his request to the House, citing threat to his life. Kupekar asked Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil to clarify the government’s stand on the issue. Before Patil could reply, the Speaker expressed anguish over the government’s failure to honour the directions of the presiding officer. Following that, Patil said Gawli would be provided security but sought time to deal with the issue. After Patil’s reply, the Speaker made a statement lashing out at the state government’s neglect despite his issuing directions on the issue raised twice by Gawli. He then adjourned the House for 15 minutes, saying he would not like to chair as a puppet since his directions were not being followed. As a mark of protest, Kupekar said the reassembled House would be chaired by the deputy Speaker. Within minutes, Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister R. R. Patil, along with other ministers, rushed to the Speaker’s cabin to pacify him. As the House reassembled after 15 minutes, Deputy Speaker Pramod Shende adjourned the House, saying discussions were on to pacify the Speaker. When the House reassembled for the third time, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Narayan Rane said the Speaker’s expressing anguish over the state government’s failure to implement his order and leaving the House was not a small issue. Deputy Speaker Shende said he was of the opinion that it was the duty of the Speaker to ensure the protection of each member of the House and adjourned the House.
