The Jharkhand Assembly Speaker, Rabindra Nath Mahto on Tuesday suspended four BJP MLAs for disrupting House proceedings till August 4. The four MLAs who were suspended till August 4—a day before the Assembly Monsoon session concludes are MLAs Bhanu Pratap Shahi, Dhulu Mahto, Jaiprakash Bhai Patel and Randhir Singh were suspended from the House for unruly behavior.
On Tuesday, as the House commenced, the BJP MLAs entered the Well of the House demanding resignation of the Chief Minister in a corruption case. The Speaker tried to pacify the agitating MLAs, however they were not ready to hear the Speaker.
Despite repeated appeals by Mahato to allow the House to run normally, the ruckus continued, promping him to suspend the legislators. Amid uproarious scenes, he also adjourned the House till 12.30 pm.
The BJP MLAs termed the suspension as undemocratic. BJP MLA Randhir Singh who was suspended from the House alleged Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto of working as an agent of the JMM government.
He said that party MLAs will sit on dharna from tomorrow under the statue of Atal Bihari Vajpayee until the speaker realizes his mistake and seeks apology for his action.
Another suspended MLA Dhullu Mahto supported Singh and strongly attacked the government on the issue. “We MLAs were constantly exposing the corruption in the house. The job of a speaker is to listen to both the parties, including ruling and the opposition. But the speaker is acting under pressure from the government,” he said.
However, at 12.30 noon when the House resumed the BJP MLAs once again started protesting the government. The BJP MLAs reached the well as soon as the proceedings of the House started. MLA Raj Sinha climbed onto the reporting table while other MLAs kept on standing facing their back towards the speaker.
Their behavior pained the speaker and he asked till what extent the chair would bow to them. On which CP Singh said that there is no need to bend and asked the speaker to suspend all the BJP lawmakers like 4 MLAs were suspended earlier. As the ruling party MLAs noticed the BJP legislators showing unruly behavior in the house they also reached the Well to mark their protest. Before the speaker adjourned the assembly till 2pm some of the matters of public importance were taken.
Box
House passes supplementary budget
The first supplementary budget of Rs 3436 crore for the current financial year was passed by voice vote in the assembly. AJSU MLA Lambodar Mahto had brought a cut motion on the supplementary budget but it was rejected. Responding to the discussion on the supplementary budget, Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon said that the supplementary budget is in the interest of the state.