Suspended Cong MLAs move Guj HC against speaker's order

Two Congress MLAs moved the Gujarat High Court today, challenging the order of the Assembly speaker suspending them for their unruly behaviour in the House about two weeks ago.

MLAs Amrish Der and Baldevji Thakor, suspended by Speaker Rajendra Trivedi on March 14 for three years and one year respectively, filed a petition against the order.

In the petition, the Opposition lawmakers said they were suspended without any inquiry or hearing their side.

The two Congress MLAs had allegedly attacked BJP legislator Jagdish Panchal inside the House amid acrimonious scenes.

Another Congress MLA, Pratap Dudhat, who too was suspended from the House for three years for the alleged attack, is also in the process of moving the high court.

The petitioners said the persons who had "provoked" them by using abusive language were spared.

Their suspension was "malicious" and aimed at preventing the Opposition party from moving a no-confidence motion against the speaker, they claimed.

The Congress MLAs had allegedly hit Panchal with the rod of a microphone and also punched him. In retaliation, some BJP members had allegedly assaulted Der.

Thakor was also involved in allegedly threatening BJP MLAs at the lobby of the House.

The disruptions had erupted immediately after the Question Hour on March 14 as Congress MLA Vikram Madam sought to raise a point of order over the death of two children in the Asaram Ashram here in 2008 even as Pradeepsinh Jadeja of the BJP wanted a discussion on wastage of time in the House.