Maharashtra Mlas Clash Outside House

In a virtual action replay of last year's incidents in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, the Maharashtra Legislative Council was adjourned till Tuesday following clashes between the legislators of the ruling Democratic Front and Opposition parties today.

The only difference between the two was that the free-for-all in Mumbai took place outside the legislature building. In an act of unprecedented hostility, MLAs from the ruling alliance and the Opposition exchanged fisticuffs and had a go at each other's clothes just outside the legislature building.

Trouble began early on Wednesday morning when the Opposition Sena-BJP legislators blocked all the entrances of the Legislature building.

 

Those who tried to get inside the House but could not, included Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal.

The Opposition MLAs had blocked the entrances to protest against variety of issues including scaling down of security to Sena chief Bal Thackeray, alleged inaction against Samajwadi Party Mumbai chief Abu Azmi for his inflammatory speech and injustice to cotton growing farmers.

Matters deteriorated when senior Nationalist Congress Party MLAs Dilip Valse Patil, R R Patil and Madhukar Pichad were denied entry into the Legislature premises.

Mr Valse Patil, Minister for Higher and Technical education, who is quite well-built punched senior Sena MLA Diwakar Raote when Raote tried to block him. Speaking to The Hindustan Times, Mr Patil's friend said that Mr Patil did not actually punch but took a defensive posture. Mr Patil, however, could not be contacted.