Speaker Niranjan Pujari on Tuesday suspended Congress member Naba Das from the State Assembly for seven days on the charge of watching obscene video clips in his personal mobile phone during the Question Hour on Monday.
Pujari, who had referred the matter to the Ethics Committee of the House for an inquiry, placed Das under suspension after a motion moved by Government Chief Whip Ananta Das in this regard was passed by a voice vote during the Zero Hour. However, opposing Congress members stalled the House demanding that Das be allowed to clarify his stand and the suspension order be reconsidered.
Soon after Speaker's order, Congress members rushed into well of the House and shouted slogans. Unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned it at 11.33 am till 12 noon.
When the House met again, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra urged the Speaker to reconsider the suspension decision. “It is not appropriate to suspend a member without giving him a chance to keep his stand. As the matter has been sent to the Ethics Committee for inquiry, let the report come first,” said Mishra and urged the Speaker to reconsider Das's suspension order.
BJP MlA KV Singh Deo too pointed out the same and requested the Speaker to reconsider the suspension decision.
As Pujari didn't pay any heed, both Congress and BJP members staged walkouts.
Meanwhile, MlA Das said the suspension order served on him was undemocratic.
“I was prepared to request the Speaker after the Zero Hour to give me an opportunity to clarify my stand. But before that the ruling party moved a motion seeking my suspension. This is undemocratic,” Das told reporters outside the House.
Though the Speaker requested the Opposition members to come back to the House and participate in motion discussion, the latter didn't come.
The Speaker convened an all-party meeting to run the House smoothly at 5.30 pm. However, the all-party meet failed to deliver any positive results, sources said.