After a near week-long protests and disruption of proceedings by the BJP-led Opposition members, the Congress-led DF Government on Monday finally agreed for a debate on the multi-thousand crore irrigation scam in the State legislative Council, even as their counterparts in the Assembly began a dharna clamouring for a similar debate in the lower House.
On a day when the Opposition members in both the House also rooted for the revocation of the suspension of a legislator each of the Shiv Sena and MNS in the Upper and lower Houses Diwakar Rawate and Pravin Darekar respectively, the State Government succumbed to mounting pressure from the Opposition in the Council and offered to have a debate on the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam allegedly involving the ruling NCP Ministers.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who has yet to clear his name in the irrigation scam that came to light in September last year, assured the Opposition that the State Government would schedule a debate on the scam-related issues in the Upper House, on Tuesday.The State Government had all through last week had resisted a debate on the issue on the ground that the matter was sub-judice — a claim that had no takers among the Opposition.
While the State Government bought peace with the Opposition in the Council, it was fighting shy of agreeing to a similar demand for a debate in the State Assembly, where the BJP, Shiv Sena, MNS and other Opposition members not only stalled the proceedings, but they also resorted to a dharna inside the House demanding a full-fledged debate on the irrigation scam and revocation of the suspension of MNS MlA Pravin Darekar.
Till late in the night, the Opposition members were still inside the Assembly holding what they “Prati Vidhan Sabha”, parallel Assembly proceedings. However, the logjam in the lower house was continuing.What made matters difficult for the State Government was the fact that the Opposition members were continuing their “sit-in” agitation on the floor of the House till late in the evening. The agitating Opposition members made it amply clear to the State Government that if need be, they would sit through the night, inside the Assembly.
Raising the issue soon after the day’s proceedings began in the State Assembly; leader of Opposition Eknath Khadse of the BJP demanded that the Question Hour be suspended to facilitate a debate on the irrigation scam. He charged that the DF Government tried to scuttle the voice of the Opposition, whenever it raised the issue of irrigation scam in the Assembly.The Treasury benches vehemently resisted the Opposition’s debate for a debate on the irrigation scam, saying that the matter was sub-judice.
On his part, Speaker Dilip Walse Patil sought to rush through the scheduled business. However, the Opposition members raised vociferous slogans in the State Assembly demanding a debate on the issue. Unable to restore order, the Speaker adjourned the Assembly twice for brief intervals and later adjourned the House for the day.
However, the Opposition refused to move out of the House till their twin demands — a debate on the irrigation scam and revocation of MNS MlA Darekar’s suspension from the House. (On Friday, Darekar was suspended from the State Assembly for a period of one year, after he allegedly hurled abuses at Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan).
Even in the Upper House, there was no let up in the Opposition’s clamour for a debate on the irrigation scam and revocation of the suspension of senior Shiv Sena MlC Diwakar Rawate.Soon after the day’s proceedings began in the Upper House, the Opposition members rushed to the well of the House and began staging a dharna demanding a debate on the irrigation scam. The Council witnessed four noisy adjournments.
later, talking to media persons after the Opposition group leaders held a meeting with chief minister Prithiviraj Chavan and his deputy Ajit Pawar inside the Chairman’s chamber, leader of the Opposition in the State Council Vinod Tawde of the BJP said: “A debate on the irrigation scam will be held in the Upper House tomorrow. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has assurance to this effect”.
Till late in the night, the Opposition members were still inside the Assembly holding what they “Prati Vidhan Sabha”, parallel Assembly proceedings.However, the logjam in the lower house was continuing.