Mumbai, Jul 18 (PTI) Only legislators, their official personal assistants and government officials will be allowed entry inside Vidhan Bhavan premises, Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar said on Friday, a day after supporters of two MLAs clashed in the legislature building.
Narwekar made the announcement on the last day of the monsoon session. The winter session of the state legislature will begin in Nagpur on December 8.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said people are blaming all the legislators for the scuffle. “The image of everyone in the legislature has been maligned due to what happened in Vidhan Bhavan yesterday,” he added.
Some legislators claimed corruption in issuing passes to such a large number of visitors.
Police have arrested Nitin Deshmukh, a supporter of NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad and BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar’s supporter, Rishikesh Takle in connection with the scuffle, an official said.
Supporters of Awhad and Padalkar came to blows in the Vidhan Bhavan lobby on Thursday, a day after the two legislators had a heated exchange in the legislature premises.
Narwekar informed the House that a decision of setting up an ethics committee, empowered to disqualify members, will be taken within a week.
Ministers will not be allowed to hold official meetings and meet visitors in the legislature complex during the session, he said. They will have to conduct their official briefings and meetings in Mantralaya, the state secretariat, he added.
MLAs will be held accountable for the conduct of persons accompanying them, Narwekar said.
Both Padalkar and Awhad expressed regret in the House over the scuffle between their supporters.
Awhad said he received abusive messages on his phone.
When he was asked by the chair to stick to the issue being discussed, Jayant Patil (NCP-SP) said the MLA should be allowed to speak.
Fadnavis said the prestige of each and every one in the House was at stake and their credentials are being questioned in the public. “People are saying all MLAs have become arrogant,” he said.
Police on Friday registered a case against Awhad for obstructing public servants in discharging their duty while staging a protest at the Vidhan Bhavan, an official said.
Awhad was dragged by the police in the wee hours during his protest against the detention of Deshmukh.
The MLA physically blocked the police vehicle, demanding Deshmukh’s release, alleging biased action by the law enforcement officials.
A police official said that Awhad sat in front of a police vehicle at Vidhan Bhavan when his supporter was being taken to the police station.
When he did not move despite repeated requests, he was dragged away by police officials, he said.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar went to the Azad Maidan police station along with Awhad to meet Deshmukh and had a heated exchange with a police officer.
Speaking to reporters later, Pawar claimed a police officer at the police station did not give proper information and allegedly raised his voice, which led to an argument.
In a video that surfaced on social media, Pawar is seen shouting at a police officer. “Don’t raise your voice, if you are not able to speak, don’t speak,” he is heard saying.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday criticised the BJP over the scuffle in the Vidhan Bhavan, alleging that people with serious criminal records were being inducted into that party.
Speaking to reporters, Raut said Fadnavis should dissolve his government, and the President’s rule must be imposed in the state.
Raut said, “This was a gang war in Vidhan Bhavan. People with serious criminal offences like murder, dacoity, or facing charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) were present there.” Raut reminded Fadnavis of the latter’s promise of maintaining the dignity of the state’s political culture.
NCP MLC Amol Mitkari on Friday staged a sit-in protest at the entrance of the Vidhan Bhavan after his personal assistant (PA) was denied entry into the building.
“It is shameful that I, despite being a legislator from the ruling party, have to stage a protest seeking an access for my assistant into the Vidhan Bhavan. If I am facing this, then it would not be wrong to say that yesterday’s incident was not unjustified,” Mitkari said.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray said if incidents like Thursday’s scuffle are condoned, it won’t be a surprise if legislators are murdered in Vidhan Bhavan.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray told reporters that the image of Maharashtra in the country has gone down after Thursday’s scuffle in Vidhan Bhavan.
“Politicians inducted goons in their parties for the sake of power,” he added. PTI MR ND DC ARU NP VT VT
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