Guj Assembly: Congress MLAs suspended after protests over deletion

The members protested, alleging removal of their questions from the list

All Congress MLAs present in Gujarat Assembly, except two, were today suspended for a day after they disrupted proceedings while protesting inside the House alleging removal of their questions from the list.

The Congress members today held protest for the third consecutive day during the ongoing budget session on various issues.

On July 3, all party legislators, except two, were suspended for a day after they stalled proceedings while demanding a special discussion on situation arising out of delayed rains. Yesterday, four MLAs were suspended after they demanded a discussion on law and order situation.

During the Question Hour today, Leader of Opposition Shankersinh Vaghela raised the issue of removal of some questions asked by Congress MLAs, from the final list discussed in the House.

Vaghela, while addressing Speaker Vaju Vala, alleged that the BJP-led state government has started a new trend.

"You have started a new trend of removing our questions. Atleast four questions asked by our MLAs are removed from the list. Why they are removed?" asked Vaghela, which triggered a heated discussion between Vala and Vaghela.

Suddenly, Dahod MLA Chandrika Bariya and Viramgam MLA Dr Tejashree Patel rushed towards the well and sat infront of the Speaker on the floor to register their protest.

Bariya claimed that her question was removed from today's list.

Later, all the 40-odd Congress MLAs, except Vaghela and Abdasa MLA Shaktisinh Gohil, joined them and rushed towards the well in protest.

After some warnings, Vala suspended all the MLAs standing in the well for one day. The Speaker called marshalls in the House to evict them.

In the support of their party legislators, Vaghela and Gohil, who were not suspended, walked out of the House.

Taking to mediapersons while coming out of House, Vaghela alleged, "Now, the government and its ministers have started a new trend of removing those questions which are uncomfortable and difficult to answer. Earlier, when BJP was in Opposition, the Congress-led government answered their questions. But now, ministers are putting pressure to remove our questions by giving silly reasons.