Maha: BJP workers protest against suspension of MLAs

The BJP has exposed the present government on the issues of OBCs losing political reservation in local bodies and Marathas being deprived of quota in jobs and education, said a local leader.The opposition party also held a parallel session in protest of the action on the legislature premises.The ruling Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalitions legislators objected to their use of loudspeakers.

BJP workers on Tuesday staged protests across the state against the suspension of the party's 12 MLAs from the Assembly, while its leaders held a ''parallel session'' on the premises of the legislature to oppose the action.

In Pune, city BJP chief Jagdish Mulik said it was a murder of democracy. ''On the first day of the monsoon session, when BJP was trying to voice the concerns of OBCs and trying to get political reservation for them, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suspended our 12 MLAs. It is a murder of democracy, this is a Mughal rule,'' he said during a demonstration.

Workers of the Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and BJP staged demonstrations in Nagpur city. Protesters, led by former energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, raised slogans against the MVA government at Badkas Square and demanded that the suspension be withdrawn.

''The BJP will keep protesting across the state till the reservation to Marathas (in jobs and education) and OBC communities in the local body elections are restored,'' Bawankule said.

A similar protest was held by BJP workers in front of the District Collector's office in Latur. A protest was also held at the collector's office in Aurangabad. ''The BJP has exposed the present government on the issues of OBCs losing political reservation in local bodies and Marathas being deprived of quota in jobs and education,'' said a local leader.

The opposition party also held a ''parallel session'' in protest of the action on the legislature premises.

The ruling Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition's legislators objected to their use of loudspeakers. Security personnel then stopped BJP leaders from using loudspeakers.

Twelve BJP MLAs were on Monday suspended from the Assembly for one year after the state government accused them of ''misbehaving'' with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker's chamber.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis termed the allegation as false and said Jadhav's account of the incident was ''one-sided.