They were suspended under rules that provide for automatic suspension of any MLA who enters the well of the house while proceedings are underway.
The situation erupted soon after the question hour, when Congress legislators raised the issue and demanded a debate on the admissibility of an adjournment motion on allocation of Bhatgaon and Bhatgaon II extension to SMS Infrastructure.
Opposition members said the Centre had allocated the Bhatgaon-II and Bhatgaon-II Extension to the Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) to encourage growth of local industries, but the company later formed a joint venture company with SMS Infrastructure, accepting a single bid for that allegedly led to the state government losing crores of rupees.
Countering opposition charges, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brijmohan Agrawal said that there was no need for an adjournment motion on the issue and a discussion would be held under different rules.
Opposition members also alleged that the BJP was trying to evade discussing the issue as it was linked to their party members.
Speaker Dharamlal Kaushik denied admission of the adjournment motion citing that the Centre had a major role in coal block allocation and not the states. Hence he claimed that it could not be discussed after which opposition members moved into the well shouting slogans denouncing the ruling BJP government and they were automatically suspended.
However, the suspension was revoked after five minutes but the party legislators did not turn up. (MORE)
