15 Cong MLAs suspended by U'khand Assembly speaker for 'unruly behaviour'

Fifteen Congress MLAs were suspended from Uttarakhand Assembly for a day on Tuesday after they created a ruckus over Speaker Ritu Khanduris decision to turn down a breach of privilege motion moved by them. Congress MLAs Adesh Chauhan and Furkan Ahmad climbed the assembly secretarys table, tore the Assembly rule book and shouted slogans against the government.This is not done, the Speaker said.

Fifteen Congress MLAs were suspended from Uttarakhand Assembly for a day on Tuesday after they created a ruckus over Speaker Ritu Khanduri's decision to turn down a breach of privilege motion moved by them. Miffed by the Speaker's decision, opposition MLAs charged towards her chair and created a pandemonium in the House pushing Assembly's secretary in-charge Hem Chandra Pant and forcing him to leave his seat. Congress MLAs Adesh Chauhan and Furkan Ahmad climbed the assembly secretary's table, tore the Assembly rule book and shouted slogans against the government.

''This is not done,'' the Speaker said. When the Speaker's repeated appeals to the Congress MLAs to calm down and go back to their seats went unheard, she suspended for a day all legislators involved in the ruckus and adjourned the house till 3 pm. Congress member Adesh Chauhan had brought a breach of privilege motion against Udham Singh Nagar SSP which the Speaker turned down on the basis of a report submitted to her by the state government. She also said the matter is sub-judice.

Talking to the media later, the Speaker said this kind of unruly behaviour, breaking the table, pushing the secretary in-charge inside the Assembly is not acceptable.

''If they had a problem with the decision, a way out could have been found through talks. This kind of unruly behaviour is not at all correct,'' she said.

''They could have come to me separately instead of pushing the secretary in-charge, climbing on his table and tearing the rule book. Even senior MLAs were involved in the ruckus. All sorts of language was being used,'' she said.

''Their (Congress MLAs') behaviour was not in accordance with the dignity of the House yesterday during the Governor's address and they repeated it today. I do not know what they wanted to prove. They are all suspended for the day,'' Khanduri said.

''Hence, they are all suspended for the day,'' she said.

Continued din by opposition members over the issue also prompted the Speaker to adjourn the house till 3 PM.

However, the suspended MLAs did not leave the House after the first adjournment and caused four more after it reassembled post lunch. When the proceedings of the Assembly began after the fifth adjournment at 5 PM with a discussion on the Governor's address they trooped into the well of the house and began shouting slogans again.