The Maharashtra legislative Council was adjourned four times on Thursday, after the Treasury Benches resisted the BJP-led Opposition’s vociferous clamour for a debate in the House on the much-discussed Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam, involving the ruling NCP functionaries.
Thursday was the second consecutive day when the Opposition BJP, Shiv Sena and Peasant and Worker’ Party (PWP) rooted for a debate on the irrigation scam.
However, the ruling Democratic Front (DF) took a stand that the issue could not be debated in the House as the matter was sub-judice.
Contesting the ruse of sub-judice used by the NCP not to have a debate on the irrigation scam in the House, senior Shiv Sena legislator Diwakar Raote insisted that State Advocate General of the State Darius Khambatta be called to the House to clear “misconceptions” on the issue.
“My friends from the NCP are insisting that the debate cannot be held as the matter is sub-judice.
That being the case, let’s call Advocate General of the State to the House. He will be able to clarify matters,” Raote said.
As the Treasury Benches continued to resist a debate on the irrigation scam, State Industries Minister Narayan Rane of the Congress read out from the rule book of the legislative Council and said: “As per the Maharashtra legislature rule 34 (2) (1), when a matter is sub-judice in any court, debate on the issue cannot be held in the House”.
Rane’s intervention led to an uproar from the Opposition members, who stormed into the well of the House. They said that restricting a mere debate on the White Paper would have no adverse effect on the case.
After the uproar, Deputy Chairman Vasant Davkhare halted the proceedings of the Upper House and restrained leader of Opposition Vinod Tawde from speaking anything on the irrigation scam.
On their part, the Opposition members insisted on the Chair giving a ruling on whether the debate would be held on the issue in future or not. However, the Deputy Chairman was in no mood to oblige the Opposition.
The day in all saw four adjournments, with the treasury benches steadfastly refusing to toe the Opposition line.
Talking to mediapersons outside the House, Tawade said: “The NCP is trying hard to prevent the interim details on the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam from coming out. No wonder that the Treasury Benches are using the rule book as a route to avoid a debate on the issue”.