High drama was witnessed in the Rajasthan Assembly today where 14 opposition MLAs were barred for an year on the ground of indiscipline but the suspension of 12 Congress members in this group was later reduced to a day following an apology.
A dozen Congress MLAs, including the party's deputy whip Govind Singh Dotasara, a BSP legislator and an independent were suspended for an year after a proposal moved by the ruling side chief whip Kalu Lal Gurjar was passed by voice vote.
However, after senior party leader Pradyuman Singh tendered an apology on behalf of his colleagues, the suspension period of the 12 Congress members was reduced to one day.
Gurjar, moved a revised proposal which too was passed.
Speaker Kailash Meghwal said that a decision on the suspension of the remaining two MLAs - independent Hanuman Beniwal and BSP's Manoj Nyangli - will be taken later when they tender their apologies.
On the concluding day of the three-day special session convened to pass the state GST bill 2017, there were unruly scenes and uproar as the opposition members protested the Speaker's decision to not allow Dotasara to ask a supplementary during the Question Hour.
After over ten minutes of the uproar, during which the opposition members rushed to the Well of the House, Meghwal adjourned proceedings for an hour.
He also had to call in marshals who lifted and pushed the protesting MLAs out of the House.
After this, the house saw two more adjournments of half an hour each.
When the House reassembled, the Speaker expressed his anger at the Opposition members' behaviour and said indiscipline will not be tolerated.
Gurjar, then moved a proposal to suspend 14 opposition MLAs from the house for an year over indiscipline. The proposal was passed by voice vote.
Congress deputy whip Dotasara, and MLAs Dheeraj Gurjar, Ghanshyam, Ashok Chandna, Sukhram, Ramesh Meena, Shrawan Kumar, Bhajan Lal, Mewaram, Heeralal, Shakuntala Rawat, Rajendra Singh, BSP's Nyangli and independent Beniwal were suspended.
NPP MLA Kirori Meena opposed the move but the Speaker did not allow him to speak.
Following the unprecedented suspension, leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi and other congress MLAs entered the House and protested but the Speaker did not budge.
Senior Congress MLA Pradyuman Singh then discussed the issue with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Speaker Meghwal and other ministers to reach a consensus.
During the debate on the state GST bill in the House, Singh issues an apology on behalf of the party and requested the Speaker to consider his plea.
Chief Minister Raje and Parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore also urged the Speaker to reduce the suspension of 12 Congress MLAs following which Gurjar moved a revised proposal.
According to the revised proposal the suspension of 12 Congress MLAs would be for a day. It was passed by a voice vote.
The speaker said that the decision on the remaining two suspended MLAs will be taken later.
