Maharashtra Legislative Assembly today admitted a breach of privilege motion against Marathi news channel IBN Lokmat for using derogatory language against legislators and questioning the integrity of the Speaker, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on its programme.
The channel had telecast a programme last night on the beating of a policeman by MLAs in the Vidhan Bhawan premises.
The notice was moved by NCP MLA Shashikant Shinde and was admitted by the Speaker following a heated debate lasting more than two hours.
All members cutting across party lines, who spoke in support of the privilege notice, lashed out at the media for questioning the supremacy of the Legislature and attempting to create a picture of rift between the Legislature, police and the people at large.
The entire House stood up when the Speaker asked the members to complete the process of 29 members voting in support of the motion so that the privilege notice is adopted and sent to the privilege committee.
Speaker Dilip Walse Patil said two crime branch officers had come to Vidhan Bhavan yesterday evening to arrest the five MLAs, suspended for thrashing of traffic police sub-inspector Sachin Suryavanshi.
He said any arrests cannot be made and a legal process, whether criminal or civil in nature, cannot be served without permission of the Speaker in the Legislature precincts.
Patil said he had not told police to arrest or not arrest the five legislators.
