Amid raging controversy over allotment of room for offering ‘Namaz’ leading to disruption of House proceedings by Opposition BJP, Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto on the last day of Monsoon session constituted a seven member committee, which will look into the issue and come out with a report within 45 days.
The panel with legislator Stephen Marandi as its convener will comprise legislators from both treasury and Opposition benches has been asked to come out with its report at earliest. The other members of the committee includes Pradeep Yadav (Congress), Neelkanth Singh Munda (BJP), Sarfaraz Ahmed (JMM), Vinod Singh (CPI-ML), Lambodar Mahto (AJSU Party) and Deepika Pandey Singh (Congress). Convener Stephen Marandi is senior lawmaker from JMM.
Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto made the announcement for constituting the committee after JMM legislator from Gandey, Sarfraz Ahmed gave a proposal to this effect asking the Speaker to reconsider the decision on allotment of a room for prayer as Namaz cannot be offered on disputed land.
Sarfraz’s proposal was supported by Congress legislators, Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey. The two lawmakers said that the remark and thought of the JMM lawmaker reflects the true spirit of secularism of Country. BJP legislator Bhanu Pratap Shahi also supported the proposal saying it could have come on the very first day of the session, adding that though the words have come from the mouth of JMM legislators but it matches with the thought of the BJP.
“We need to end the standoff in the interests of the State and its people. It is not good for MLAs as well. Under the circumstances, I took a decision to place the matter before an all party committee and the Chair will support whatever decision is given by it,” the Speaker said.
The Monsoon session that began on September 3 remained stormy and witnessed protests by the main opposition BJP over the allotment both inside and outside the House.
It may be noted that the Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto on Friday last allotted room number TW 348 for offering Namaz, prompting demand from the BJP to build a Hanuman temple and places of worship of other religions on the Assembly premises.
On Wednesday, several BJP workers, including its State chief Deepak Prakash, reportedly sustained injuries after the police resorted to lathicharge while they were protesting against a move to allocate a special room for offering Namaz. Protesting against the police lathicharge, the BJP MLAs on Thursday, sporting black straps, raised slogans like “Lathi, Goli, Wali Sarkar Nahi Chalegi ‘’ while protesting ‘lathi charge’ and use of water cannons on protesters.
Also, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in Jharkhand High Court against the allotment of room for offering Namaz in the Jharkhand Assembly. The PIL filed by one Bhairav Singh requested for a judicial review whether such an allotment can be done or not on premises that are constructed with public money.