By IANS
Raipur : Nineteen Congress legislators, including Leader of Opposition, were suspended from the Chhattisgarh assembly Wednesday afternoon for storming into the well of the House.
The lawmakers raised slogans against the state government for its alleged failure to check Maoist menace in the state.
The Congress legislators were suspended under section 250 (1) of the rules of procedure and conduct of business of the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly). Under this section, membership of a member who enters the well of the house is deemed suo moto suspended for a period the speaker might later decide.
Soon after the question hour, Congress legislators moved the adjournment motion over irregularities in the jails and alleged that the lapse resulted in the sensational jail break incident in Dantewada in December last year. In Dantewada, about 300 inmates, including 110 hardcore Maoists, escaped.
State home minister Ramvichar Netam denied the charges and said the government was committed to root out rebels from the state.
But the Congress members caused pandemonium in the house and said the government was not serious about tackling the Maoist menace in the state.
Demanding resignation of Netam, the Congress members walked into the well of the house and raised slogans against the home minister as well as the state government.
Deputy Speaker Badridhar Diwan, in the chair, adjourned the house for a brief period. The Congress lawmakers were unrelenting even after the house re-assembled.
Diwan later announced that 19 Congress members were suspended and asked them to leave the house. The speaker’s decision on the period of suspension was awaited.