Gujarat Cong MLAs suspended

Manas Dasgupta

Gandhinagar, August 23

All Congress members of the Gujarat state Assembly were suspended for the day and more than 1,800 party workers, including all its top leaders, arrested as the party highlighted the Una Dalit flogging incident inside and outside the Assembly on the only working day of the monsoon session today.

Congress members created a ruckus in the Assembly, demanding an inquiry into the case by a sitting high court judge. The party had organised a “Jan Akrosh Rally” in the state capital to “gherao” the Assembly building in support of these demands.

As soon as the House Assembled for the day and after Chief Minister Vijay Rupani moved a motion congratulating the Olympic medal winners, Leader of Opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela moved a calling attention motion, demanding a discussion on the Una Dalit flogging incident. Even as the debate was on and the CM repeated his assurance that the state government would take all necessary steps to provide protection to Dalits, Congress members started displaying banners and shouted slogans after Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja turned down the demand for a judicial inquiry into the July 11 incident claiming the police had already taken all necessary steps.

As the ruckus continued and the Congress members rushed to the well of the House, Speaker Ramanlal Vora accepted an official motion suspending all Opposition members, barring Vaghela and party chief whip Balwant Rajput, for the day. Some of the Opposition members had to be physically lifted by House marshals as they refused to walk out of the House on their own.

In the absence of the Opposition, the Assembly adopted four Bills, including one ratifying the “Goods and Services Tax” Bill. The Congress demand for extending the two-day session of the House at least to five days to discuss pending important issues, including the law and order situation in the state, was rejected by the government.