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Maharashtra assembly adjourned over Srikrishna Commission issue

The Justice Srikrishna Commission report, which probed the communal riots that rocked Bombay in 1992-1993, had its echo in the Maharashtra legislative assembly on Monday when the Opposition demanded that it be tabled in the House, forcing the speaker to adjourn the House for the day amidst unruly scenes.

As soon as the House assembled at 1300 hours and Question Hour began, R R Patil and Manikrao Thakre (both Congress) raised the issue. They wanted to discuss it by setting aside Question Hour. They were supported by other members including Shabir Patel, Sohail Lokhandwala (both Samajwadi Party), Wamanrao Chatap (Independent), Narassayya Adam (CPI-M) and Anandrao Devkate (Congress) who entered the well displaying banners in favour of their demand and climbed to the speaker's podium.

Speaker Datta Nalawade then adjourned the House for 20 minutes at 1312 hours. When the House reassembled at 1332 hours the speaker took up Question Hour and completed other items on the agenda within an hour and 22 minutes amidst pandemonium.

Counter-slogans were raised from the Treasury benches when R R Patil pointed out to the House Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's recent remarks on the Srikrishna report. Both BJP and Sena members then entered the well and shouted slogans against Patil.

Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said Thackeray's remarks, quoted by Patil should be expunged from the records.

Raising a point of order, leader of the Opposition in the House, Madhukar Pichad, said Thackeray's remarks on the Srikrishna report was published in a section of the press .

Considering Joshi's suggestion, Nalawade directed that the allegations, levelled by Patil and Nawab Malik (Samajwadi Party) against Thackeray, be expunged from the records.

The House plunged into chaos when Malik alleged that the Srikrishna report had been leaked by the chief minister to Thackeray. Patil said the House should know how the report was leaked to Thackeray who expressed his views on the report in the newspapers.

Shabbir Patel and Lokhandwala then displayed cloth banners demanding a discussion on the Srikrishna report issue and surrounded the speaker's table. They were joined by other Opposition members.

Amidst utter confusion, the speaker continued calling the items on the agenda including three calling attention notices, introduction of two bills -- the Code of Criminal Procedure (Maharashtra amendment) bill, 1998 and the Maharashtra Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation Bill, 1998 -- and a debate on supplementarty demands for 1998-99 on the public works department, irrigation department and industries, energy and labour departments. These demands were passed by voice vote without discussion.

UNI

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