JOIN USFourteen legislators were suspended for a year on Friday when they attempted to stall the proceedings in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, protesting government’s failure to nab culprits who stole a golden idol of Lord Ganesha from a temple in Raigad district.
The resolution of suspension of the members comprising 13 from the Shiv Sena and one from the BJP was passed by a voice vote after two adjournments.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Patil while moving the resolution said the members had breached the privilege of the House by disregarding the Chair and “bringing an idol on the floor of the House.”
Shiv Sena members following the report of theft of Ganesha idol from a temple in the coastal town of Diveagar in Raigad district, brought a silver-coated idol chanting “Ganpati Bappa Morya...Ganpati Gele Chorila...Laaj Nahi Sarkarla” (Ganpati has been stolen but the government is shameless).
Despite being admonished, the 14 legislators continued and the House was adjourned. Nationalist Congress Party legislator Shashikant Shinde then criticised the behaviour questioning the “veracity of the theft report”.