Cong MLAs stage walkout, again

For the second consecutive day, Opposition Congress members staged a walkout from the Assembly Friday, protesting the "unparliamentary" manner in which their leader was criticised.

Congress members were alleging that Minister of State for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Pradeepsinh Jadeja behaved in an "unparliamentary" manner by criticising Leader of Opposition Shankersinh Vaghela, who was not present in the House.

Jadeja, in his response to the Motion of Thanks to Governor's address, had criticised Vaghela who, on Thursday lambasted the state government in his response on the motion.

Referring to Vaghela's revolt against ruling BJP in 1995-96, forming his own political party Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP) when Keshubhai Patel was the Chief Minister, Jadeja took a dig at Congress MLAs for "sitting with him" now.

When he continued picking on Vaghela, who at that time was not present in the House, Congress MLAs started protesting and raised objections alleging "unparliamentary" behaviour by the minister.

Speaker Vajubhai Vala tried to pacify the furious Congress legislators by assuring them to remove every unparliamentary word, if ever spoken, by any member of the House during their address. At this, some members "like Congress Chief Whip in the House Balwantsinh Rajput, C K Raulji, Shailesh Parmar alleged that "in spite of objections, the minister had kept using unparliamentary words and criticism", following which they walked out of the House.

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