Censure motion on Amit Jogi in Chhattisgarh for unparliamentary conduct

He sprinkled 'Ganga Jal' inside the House as protest against ordinance to run liquor shops

Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a censure motion against Amit Jogi and two other legislators for their unparliamentary conduct.

The censure motion was tabled against Amit Jogi, R K Rai and Siyaram Kaushik by the state’s parliamentary affairs minister, Ajay Chandrakar and was backed by the Opposition party, Congress. Amit, son of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi, has been expelled from the Congress while Rai has been suspended for anti-party activities. All the three are members of the state legislative assembly.

Chandrakar alleged that the conduct of these members was highly unparliamentary and need to be censured in the House. Amit, Rai and Kaushik on Wednesday sprinkled "Ganga Jal" inside the House and also outside the Chief Minister's chamber in protest against the state government's decision, introducing an ordinance to run liquor shops in the state.

The minister said the conduct of Jogi and others were objectionable when the national anthem was played in the House. He added that no member had a right to breach the highly established decorum of the parliamentary working.

State Congress President and senior legislator Bhupesh Baghel lashed at Amit Jogi and termed his act as "insult to Hinduism". He said, "Ganga Jal" had been a sacred symbol of Hindu culture and Amit Jogi made a mockery by sprinkling it in the House and outside. "Had Amit Jogi converted his religion," he said.

Amit Jogi in his defence said that he sprinkled "Gangajal" in the House as it became desecrated following the ordnance brought for running liquor shops by the government. "I regret if my conduct has hurt anyone," he added.

Speaker Gourishankar Agrawal took up the motion for voting after Chandrakar raised the strong objection that regret would not be enough and the House need to pass a censure motion against the members. The motion was passed by voice vote.