By IANS
Jaipur : The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress members scuffled in the Rajasthan assembly Wednesday, forcing the speaker to adjourn the house for the day.
The trouble began when the Congress members demanded resignation of the minister of state for irrigation Surendra Singh Rathor, who was sentenced to six-month imprisonment by a court in Rajsamand district for violating mine-safety guidelines.
The Congress has been demanding that the tainted minister be removed from the government.
The house was adjourned twice in the day, and when it met again in the afternoon, the rival groups fought bitterly in the well of the house, forcing the speaker to adjourn the house for the day. The Congress members were led by C.P. Joshi.
An expelled BJP member, Prahlad Gunjal, and a suspended BJP member, Avtar Singh Bhadana, along with Lok Janshakti Party leader Ranvir Singh Gudha simultaneously staged a sit-in. They demanded action against all those responsible for the deaths of 26 persons during the Gujjar agitation in May-June this year.
When the Congress members were raising slogans in the well, their chief whip Mahavir Prasad Jain came and urged them to return to their seats. At this stage, Jain was manhandled by Lok Janashakti leader Ranvir Gudha. This sparked off the fight.
Devi Singh Bhati, who recently joined the BJP, rushed to the podium and Bhati too was seen rushing forward.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Singh Rathor tried to stop his party members from scuffling, but in vain.
Speaking to mediapersons in her chamber, Speaker Sumitra Singh said such an ugly incident never happened in the history of the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha and she was very hurt by it.
“I would take disciplinary action against some of the members for their behaviour after discussing the issue with the leaders of the ruling party and the Opposition”, Sumitra Singh said.
Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said the Opposition was not playing a responsible role. Entering the well of the house and stalling the proceedings was undemocratic.
She said the state government was prepared to answer every question raised by the Opposition, but the decorum of the house should have been maintained.