Members of the Congress, who raised the issue of farmers' suicide, and BJP in the Gujarat Assembly today hurled verbal abuses at each other leading to a scuffle in which a woman minister and an MLA were injured.
Later, two Congress MLAs were suspended from the House for the remaining period of the budget session for allegedly attacking ministers and BJP MLAs, after which opposition Congress walked out in protest.
Assembly Speaker Ramanlal Vora suspended Congress MLAs Paresh Dhanani and Baldevji Thakor on the charges of trying to attack BJP MLAs and ministers Nirmala Wadhwani and Vallabh Kakadiya.
An altercation broke out between the MLAs of both the parties during Question Hour when Dhanani, who represents Amreli seat, sought to know the number of farmers who had committed suicide during the last two years in Junagadh and Amreli district.
In his reply, Agriculture minister Chiman Sapariya stated that no such incidents had taken place during that period.
Not satisfied with the answer, Dhanani rushed near to the minister's seat and alleged that he is lying, as data from state Home Department suggests that more than 400 farmers has ended their lives during that period in those districts.
When Sapariya was confronting Dhanani, Congress MLA from Kalol seat, Baldevji Thakor also rushed near the minister and tried to snatch papers from his hand, prompting sergeants to cordon them.
Such aggression from Congress members attracted sharp reaction from BJP MLAs, who strongly objected and entered into verbal spats and abuses with the Opposition in the presence of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Leader of Opposition Shankersinh Vaghela.
When the House did not fall in order after his repeated appeals, the Speaker adjourned it for an indefinite period and left the floor.
Soon after his exit, the chaos reached its peak after Congress members accused BJP MLAs Kanti Amrutiya and Praful Pansheriya of saying abusive things to them.
Several Congress MLAs tried to break free from the clutches of sergeants and challenged both the BJP legislators to face them.
The matter took an ugly turn when Thakor, who was being escorted out of the House, suddenly rushed towards treasury benches from behind the Speaker's chair and allegedly tried to attack Pansheriya and Amrutiya.
Transport minister Vallabh Kakadiya who tried to stop him and others fell on the floor as he was allegedly pushed by running Thakor. Women and Child Development minister Nirmala Wadhwani was seating next to Kakadiya.
Sergeants again managed to catch Thakor. After being escorted out, Thakor took first aid on his leg and claimed that he was attacked by BJP members.
Similarly, Wadhwani was also given first aid, as she
alleged that she too sustained injury on her arm after being pushed by Thakor.
When the House met after a break of almost an hour, Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja along with Deputy CM Nitin Patel urged the Speaker to take stern action against both the Congress MLAs.
While Jadeja alleged that Thakor even tried to choke Wadhwani's throat, Vaghela alleged that BJP members incited their MLAs by saying derogatory and abusive things in the presence of women MLAs of both the parties.
On the proposal by the Treasury benches to suspend both Dhanani and Thakor for the entire session, senior Congress MLA Shaktisinh Gohil argued that BJP members were equally responsible for the ruckus and they too need to be expelled.
Finally, the Speaker held Thakor and Dhanani guilty of indiscipline and suspended them for the remaining period of the budget session, scheduled to end on March 31.
In protest, Congress MLAs walked out of the House.
