Opp creates ruckus in Council after Chair says no debate

The Opposition Congress and NCP on Thursday created ruckus and forced two noisy adjournments in the Maharashtra legislative Council after Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar refused to permit a debate on the alleged Anganwadi procurement scam involving State Women and Child Welfare Minister Pankaja Munde.

Raising the soon after the Upper House met for the day, the NCP’s Hemant Takle and Bhai Jagtap of the Congress demanded that the question hour be suspended to facilitate a debate on the alleged `206-crore Anganwadi procurement scam.

Seeking a debate on the alleged chikki scam — as the scam has come to be known as, Takle alleged that the minister had cleared the purchase of a host of items including chikkis, mats, dishes and books for children worth Rs206 crore under the Integrated Child Development Services by the Women and Child Development Ministry headed by her, without calling for e-tenders.