The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and Council on Tuesday, 17 December, were both adjourned for the day as legislators from the ruling Shiv Sena and Opposition BJP scuffled over the issue of aid to farmers.
On the second day of the state legislature's winter session, BJP MLAs marched to the Assembly demanding Rs 25,000 per hectare of aid for farmers hit by untimely rains, as was recommended by a report published earlier in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', reported PTI.
When the Assembly commenced, they rushed to the well of the House, shouting slogans, asking Sena to fulfill its ‘promise’. Some Sena MLAs then tried to snatch banners from BJP members, leading to a ruckus in the House.
After his appeals for the BJP members to return to their seats and allow the House to continue with its proceedings went unheard, Speaker Nana Patole adjourned the House for 30 minutes.
After the Assembly resumed, the issue of monetary aid to rain-affected farmers was raised again. Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis assured the Speaker that his party members will not indulge in such behaviour, but asserted that ruling party members should also maintain decorum.
Following the outbreak of another scuffle, reports PTI, the speaker adjourned the Assembly for the day.
The upper house also saw BJP protesting over the same issue, after which Council Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar adjourned the session for 15 minutes, three times in succession.
When the protest and sloganeering didn’t stop, the Council house was adjourned for the day.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in a meeting of Mahavikas Aghadi MLAs and leaders, said that there is an attempt to create chaos in the country.
He asked the coalition’s MLAs to return to their constituencies after the session to ensure nothing happens in their areas as there are efforts to “light matches”.
(With inputs from PTI)
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