Gujarat: Cong MLAs expelled from Assembly following protest over change in offering at Ambaji temple

The district administrations decision to replace Mohanthal with Chikki as prasad at the Goddess Sati temple has not gone down well with many devotees.Congress MLAs demanded a discussion on the issue.But Speaker Shankar Chaudhary requested them to sit down and allow an Aam Aadmi Party AAP MLA to speak.When they continued protesting, the Speaker said it was their right to walk out, but they cannot disrupt the proceedings by shouting slogans.As the protest continued, the Speaker proposed that around 15 Congress MLAs who were present be expelled.

Congress MLAs were on Friday expelled from the Gujarat Assembly after they demanded discussion on the change in the `prasad' or sweet offering distributed at the famous Ambaji temple in Banaskantha district, and protested in the House.

They also distributed in the Assembly `Mohanthal, a sweet made from Besan (gram flour), sugar and ghee which was earlier offered at the temple.

It should not be replaced by `Chikki', a sweet made from nuts and jaggery, they demanded. The district administration's decision to replace Mohanthal with Chikki as `prasad' at the Goddess Sati temple has not gone down well with many devotees.

Congress MLAs demanded a discussion on the issue.

But Speaker Shankar Chaudhary requested them to sit down and allow an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA to speak.

When they continued protesting, the Speaker said it was their right to walk out, but they cannot disrupt the proceedings by shouting slogans.

As the protest continued, the Speaker proposed that around 15 Congress MLAs who were present be expelled. The resolution was passed with a voice vote and they were escorted out.

They shouted `Jai Ambe' while exiting the House.

Speaker Chaudhary further said the Congress office in the Assembly complex was being used for activities aimed at disrupting the proceedings of the House.

He might be compelled to shut down the office if it was being used for such purposes, he said, directing the Assembly security officials to probe the matter and submit a report to him.

When Congress MLAs, during their protest, distributed Mohanthal in the House, BJP MLA Ramanlal Vora said it should be `examined' to check if it was edible. The Speaker consented to the request.

Congress legislature party leader Amit Chavda later told reporters that the issue of change in the offering was linked with the faith of lakhs of devotees.

''Those who offer prayers at the feet of Ambaji Mata feel grateful when they take the `prasad'. The BJP government even made 'prasad' a tradable offering with the aim of helping its 'friends' by setting aside the Hindu faith,'' he said.

''Despite repeated appeals, the government has not taken any action. Our Ambaji MLA Kantibhai Tharad demanded a discussion on the issue, but it was denied.....Those in power mislead people in the name of Hindutva but do not care about the community,'' Chavda added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)