The continuing row over CNT-SPT amendments took a curious turn on Thursday when the Ethics Committee of the Assembly recommended suspension of four Opposition MlAs for their ‘improper’ conduct which took place inside the House during the last Winter Session over the tenancy law amendment Bills presented by the Government.
The Committee headed by BJP’s Satyendra Nath Tiwari tabled the report recommending for the action.
The committee has found three JMM legislators namely Shashi Bhushan Samad (Chakradharpur), Paulis Surin (Torpa), Amit Mahto (Silli) and Irfan Ansari of Congress (Jamtara) guilty for spraying chemical, breaking chairs and hurling shoes and broken wheels of the chairs targeting the Speaker besides, going atop the reporters’ table on November 23 last year.
Following the incident, BJP’s Dr Jeetu Charan Ram had complained about this before the Speaker who, in turn, forwarded it to the Committee for probe and action. Though the Committee had also considered the name of another JMM member Anil Murmu of littipara for action but dropped his name at the last moment following his demise this Tuesday.
The five-member Committee has besides, Tiwari as Chairman, Shiv Shankar Oraon, Hare Krishna Singh, Ram Kumar Pahan (all BJP) and Devender Singh of Congress as members.
The members as per the recommendations of the Committee would be suspended for the entire ongoing Budget Session and also from the entire financial year ending on March 31 this year. During the period the members would be robbed off their salaries and perks, depriving them with the privileges coming tagged with a legislator.
The incident unforeseen in the history of Jharkhand Assembly had taken place over the long stalemate continuing between the Opposition and the Government over the Bills moved to amend the CNT and SPT Acts allowing commercial uses of tribal land, primarily.
After series of adjournments, the Government had presented the twin Bills for discussion and voting in the House that led to the furor and scuffle among the members. The Government had somehow managed to pass the Bills without any discussion but not before ugly scenes played out in the Assembly.
later, speaking to media persons outside, Chairman of the Committee Satyendra Nath Tiwari justified the decision. “The members committed misdeeds in the House hiding behind their opposition to the CNT and SPT amendments. Their conduct hanged head of not only Jharkhand but of entire country into shame. The legislative system got a bad name due to this. The members indulged into criminal acts to hurt the Speaker and the Committee members were unanimous about reaching to the decision,” he claimed. However Devender Singh, whose signature was on the report of presented, did not accompany the BJP members of the panel to address the Press.
Tiwari said that the panel had called the members in question three times to present their views before it. “They did not even bother about importance of the Standing Committee and took the summons sent lightly. We have had four meetings and taken the decision after considering all the facts before us. The decision to suspend the unruly members will send out a lesson for one and all,” he added.
However, the action seems not to have deterred the members who snubbed it in one voice. “I thank them for this! There is nothing to be afraid of. This is a conspiracy to remove us from backdoor,” said Surin while Samad dared the Government for more such action adding, “Abhi to juta fenka hai, kuch or bhi fenekge.” Amit Mahto termed the act politically motivated. “Who is this Ethics Committee to call usIJ If we had done any wrong the Speaker should have taken action then and there. We are not going to bow down,” said the Silli MlA.
The lone Congress member bearing the brunt, Irfan Ansari, when asked about assent of his party man Devender Singh over the decision, claimed that the later has denied putting in his signature on the report. “I had a word with him and he said that he was not taken into confidence. His signature was taken for some other purpose,” alleged Ansari.
With this, the fate of the businesses listed for the rest of the Session has also become largely clear. Though no question has been taken up during previous and this session so far, the Opposition looked divided before the Committee report presented in the second half on Thursday. The JVM and Congress had opposed the continuous disruption by the JMM over the CNT-SPT row saying that there were several others issues at hand. But their voice changed after the MlAs’ suspension.
“The Committee has acted on the instruction of the Government. It is a black spot on democratic principles. The members’ action was the manifestation of larger public sentiment which was against the amendments. Their suspension proved that the Government itself is instigating the members and does not want to run the House. This (the suspension) would see its impact from tomorrow,” threatened JVM Pradeep Yadav. Congress’ Sukhdeo Bhagat and CPI’s Raj Kumar Yadav termed the act ‘dictatorial’ in nature.
Entire Opposition would sit together on Friday to chalk out their strategy for the rest of the Session and also on the streets.