Din in Maha Assembly over revocation of MLC's suspension

The Maharashtra Assembly witnessed noisy scenes today over the revocation of suspension of MLC PrashantParicharak, who had allegedly made derogatory remarks about wives of soldiers last year. The BJP-backed independent MLC was suspended from the state Legislative Council in March last year, after he joked during an election campaign about the wives of soldiers. The legislator had later apologised for his statement. The state government last week revoked his suspension. The issue was raised today by the opposition Congress and NCP members in the Lower House as soon as it assembled for the day. They shouted slogans criticising the government for revoking the legislator's suspension. The state revenue minister, Chandrakant Patil, told the House that a high powered committee of the Legislative Council had recommended the revocation of his suspension. Shiv Sena MLC NeelamGorhe was a member of the committee, he pointed out. "The government cannot make any correction for a year in the committee's decision adopted unanimously by the House," Patil said, adding the members should not bring the Legislative Council's matter in the Lower House. Sunil Prabhu (of the Shiv Sena) demanded that Paricharakbe expelled and tried for treason as he had allegedly insulted martyrs' wives and the country. The members from the treasury benches, who were also in the well of the House, then started shouting slogans against Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde, over a controversial audio clip that allegedly featured his name. Amid the din, Speaker Haribhau Bagde adjourned the House for 15 minutes. After the House reassembled, the speaker took up the Question Hour. But, the opposition members continued to shout slogans against Paricharak. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, demanded that the MLC be expelled from the membership of the Upper House. Jayant Patil (of the NCP) supported the demand. Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil then said that the Council members' committee which recommended the revocation of Paricharak's suspension included former Congress MLC Narayan Rane, LoP Dhananjay Munde and Sena member Neelam Gorhe. The opposition cannot criticise the decision now, he said. The government has no love for Paricharak, he said while pointing out that the state had earlier moved the resolution to suspend him. "The committee now feels that the suspension be revoked and the government can't make any correction," Chandrakant Patil said. However, the opposition members continued to shout slogans over Paricharak's issue while the treasury benches kept shouting slogans against Munde. Amid the din, the House was adjourned for half-an- hour.

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