Uproar in Assembly over Mumbai panel; Cong, NCP stage walkout

The Congress and NCP on Monday created uproar in Maharashtra Assembly over a proposed review committee for Mumbai headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging the government was trying to separate the city from the state.

The House was adjourned for 15 minutes by Speaker Haribhau Bagde, who did not allow Jitendra Awhad (of NCP) and others to raise the issue during the Motion of Propriety.

Awhad said he had served a notice under rule 57 for suspension of Question Hour to take up the issue of the separate committee proposed to look after and speed up projects for Mumbai. He tried to raise the issue again during the Adjournment Motion.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to decline the offer of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to head the committee, he said.

The letter was written by Pawar on December 19 to Modi after Fadnavis told the Assembly recently that such a request was made to Modi.

Awhad was joined by both Congress and NCP members, who trooped into the Well of the House and started raising slogans - "Mumbai var charcha jhalich pahije" (there must be a discussion on Mumbai).

When the House reassembled, there was no improvement in the situation. The Congress and NCP members remained in the Well of the House and continued slogan-shouting.

The Speaker tried to convince them to go back to their seats, but they were not in a mood to listen to him.

Bagde then resumed the business of the House.

Later, Congress and NCP members staged a walkout.