Gujarat assembly session turns stormy

Congress MLAs get two-day suspension on first day of three-day session

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's first state assembly session after being declared BJP's prime ministerial candidate opened to a stormy session resulting in two-day suspension of all Congress MLAs by Speaker for disrupting the house which met for a three-day session beginning Monday.

The Congress, as a mark of protest, decided to boycott the third and final day of the session, terming their suspension as 'murder of democracy' by the ruling party.

In the state legislative Assembly of 182 members, at present BJP has 119 MLAs, Congress 57, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 2, Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) 2 and Independent and JD(U) has one member each member.

The three-day state Assembly session began with uproar by the Congress MLA demanding discussion of the recent floods and related issue of Gujarat.

The opposition MLAs, led by leader of opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela and chief whip Balvantsinh Rajput, began shouting slogans demanding adjournment of the question hour.

They also hoisted placards with slogans demanding answers from the state government on flood situation in Gujarat, damage to crops and farmers, release of crop insurance, depleting law and order in the state, implementation of  Food Security Act in the state and related issues.

They also demanded answers on the resignation letter of suspended IPS officer D G Vanzara, accused in couple of fake encounter cases, where he has made scathing allegations against the incumbent Narendra Modi government.

Assembly Speaker Vaju Vala turned down the motion moved by six MLAs of Congress party under rule 108 of the House and asked them to stop shouting slogans and hoisting placards.

But, the Congress members did not stop and entered the well of the house.

Upon this Vala warned the members once again for disrupting the house. He then suspended all Congress MLAs for one day.

Following this finance minister Nitin Patel moved the motion to suspend Congress MLAs for two days, which was put to voice vote and passed. After the speaker revised the suspension of Congress MLA from one day to two day, Vaghela got up and said, "Let me give you one free with two-day suspension. We will boycott the third day of the session."

Coming out of the house Vaghela told reporter, "This is murder of democracy by the ruling party who wants to suppress the voice of people." He said his party wanted to raise many important issues in the house which was not allowed by the ruling BJP. "Time and again we have urged the present government to increase the number of day in assembly session. We have also made representation to the Governor. But, this government is adamant," he said.

"Today, also we had given them notice in advance but instead of giving us any they disregarded our application. When we asked the Speaker about our application for cancellation of question hour to discuss important issue of flood and crop loss under rule 108 of the House Rules, we did not get any answer," said Congress chief whip in the assembly Balvantsinh Rajput.

He said that they would take this issue to the people and expose the ruling government which is not interested in resolving problems of the farmers.