Around 20 Congress MLAs were evicted toady from the Gujarat Assembly for causing ruckus after the Speaker suspended them for staging protests inside the House over the issue of alleged use of police force during a farmers’ rally in Sanand near Ahmedabad on 14 February.
These legislators rushed to the well of the House when Minister of State for Home, Pradeepsinh Jadeja was giving his reply on the short call notice under Rule 116, given by Congress MLAs Raghavji Patel and Karamshi Patel about the alleged use of excessive force by police during Sanand farmers’ rally.
#Gujarat : @BJP4Gujarat , @gujcongress MLAs exchange blows in assembly over farmers’ suicide. pic.twitter.com/M6s0ZQ7ief
— Tv9 Gujarati (@tv9gujarati) February 23, 2017
Two Congress MLAs, including Baldevji Thakor, and BJP MLA and junior minister Nirmala Vadhwani received injuries during the ruckus when they rushed to the Well of the House.
Members of both parties exchanged blows after the government refused to answer questions, India Today reported.
In his opening remark, Jamnagar MLA Raghavji Patel alleged that farmers took the path of agitation only after the government refused to listen to their demand of providing enough water for irrigation in and around Sanand.
He further claimed that farmers of that region, where land prices are sky-rocketing due to industrial development, are not given water as part of conspiracy, so that farmers are left with no other option than to sell their precious land.
In his reply, Jadeja claimed that Ahmedabad district police was forced to lob 38 tear gas shells on protesters after some of them engaged in stone pelting during the rally, which had injured the District SP R V Asari and five other policemen.
In his address, Jadeja pointed out that Karamshi Patel, who represents Sanand seat, also admitted during a meeting that farmers’ protests was uncalled for.
Jadeja’s remarks drew sharp reaction from Sanand MLA, who rushed near the well alleging that Jadeja was lying.
He told the Speaker Ramanlal Vora that he never said such words. When Jadeja continued his speech despite Patel’s appeal, several Congress MLAs started shouting slogans and termed the BJP government as “anti-farmer”.
To register their protest, around 20 of them rushed to the well of the House and lied down in the well in protest. Speaker ordered sergeants to evict them. As Vora also suspended them for the rest of the day, other Congress MLAs staged walk out from the House.
(With inputs from PTI)
