Mumbai, Jul 18 (PTI) Two persons were arrested on Friday in connection with the tussle between supporters of NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad and BJP’s Gopichand Padalkar a day earlier on the premises of the Maharashtra legislature complex here, a police official said.
On Thursday, supporters of Awhad and Padalkar came to blows at around 5.45 pm on the ground floor of the legislature building. The incident came a day after the two lawmakers were involved in a heated exchange.
“Awhad’s supporter Nitin Deshmukh and Padalkar’s supporter Sarjerao alias Rishikesh Takle were arrested under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita by Marine Drive police. They have been remanded in police custody for three days. Their statements have been recorded as well,” the official said.
They have been charged with unlawful assembly, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and assault or obstructing a public servant when suppressing riots, he added.
“Deshmukh and Takale hurled abuses and assaulted each other. There was an illegal assembly of 6-7 persons. During the incident, police personnel trying to discharge their duties were obstructed. The case at Marine Drive police station was registered on the complaint of a 41-year-old security official of Vidhan Bhavan,” he said.
Speaking in the House earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had expressed sadness over the incident, adding that “the onus of maintaining parliamentary decorum, conduct and communication lies with us”.
Takale has six criminal cases against his name and Deshmukh is named in eight cases, Fadnavis said.
Taking serious note of the unsavoury incident, assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar said visitors will not be allowed inside the Vidhan Bhavan during the session.
Only ministers, legislators, their officially-designated personal secretaries and government officials will be allowed during that period, he said.
“Ministers will not be allowed to hold official meetings and meet visitors in the legislature complex during the session. They will have to conduct their official briefings and meetings in Mantralaya, the state secretariat. MLAs will be held accountable for the conduct of persons accompanying them,” Narwekar said.
Padalkar and Awhad expressed regret in the House over the scuffle between their supporters. PTI DC BNM
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