Ruckus: Cong MLAs may be suspended
Thursday, 14/03/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130314/punjab.htm#5
Chandigarh : Action, including suspension for the remaining period of the Budget session, is being proposed against Congress legislators who created a ruckus in the assembly today, throwing booklets at the House chairman and taking over the Speaker's chair.
Sources said the SAD-BJP could take up the issue of "lawless" behaviour by the Congress legislators in the House tomorrow and might move a privilege motion on the issue. A privilege motion has already been moved against the beating up of a watch and ward staff member outside the office of the CLP Leader's office.
Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia said the behaviour of the Congress legislators was "shameful" and what saddened him was that it had happened under the stewardship of CLP Leader Sunil Jakhar.
The sources said despite the provocation by few Congress men who roughed up a watch and ward staff member, there was hope that an agreement would be reached between the treasury benches and the Opposition after the Speaker adjourned the House twice for an hour each. However with the Congress undecided on the next course of action, there could be no rapprochement.
Meanwhile, there is confusion on the next course of action in the Congress. The CLP Leader, Sunil Jakhar, held a meeting at the residence of legislator Rana Gurjit. However, only 20 of the 44 party MLAs turned up.
A section of the Congress MLAs want the House to run normally but in case the SAD-BJP alliance opts for suspension of legislators, the battle lines could be drawn further and the assembly proceedings disrupted yet again.
Past imperfect
There have been cases of such attacks on the Speaker’s chair in the past too
Satnam Singh Bajwa, father of PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa, had ‘captured’ the Speaker’s chair in 1969
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had ‘toppled’ the turban of the then Speaker SS Minhas in 1986
