3 Oppn MLAs suspended from C’garh assembly

Raipur, Mar 1 (PTI) Three opposition MLAs, including Amit Jogi, were today suspended from the Chhattisgarh assembly for rushing to the Well of the House and sprinkling water on the floor.The suspensio

Raipur, Mar 1 (PTI) Three opposition MLAs, including Amit Jogi, were today suspended from the Chhattisgarh assembly for rushing to the Well of the House and sprinkling water on the floor.

The suspension was later revoked before the House was adjourned for the day.

Amidst pandemonium in the House by Congress MLAs on alleged irregularities in paddy procurement, Commercial Tax Minister Amar Agrawal tabled the Chhattisgarh Excise (Amendment) Ordinance 2017 in the House.

The process was conducted amid uproar.

However, when the commotion calmed down, Marwahi MLA Amit Jogi, along with legislators Siyaram Kaushik and Rajendra Kumar Rai, rushed to the Well of the House, raising slogans against the introduction of the ordinance.

Jogi sprinkled drops of water on the floor of the House, claiming it to be ‘gangajal’, to “purify” the House.

They said by tabling this Ordinance, the state government has turned this holy House into unholy.

Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal immediately suspended all three MLAs.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ajay Chandrakar said in the House that the matter should be inquired as the sprinkled liquid could have been anything instead of water.

Notably, in January this year, the state cabinet had approved the ordinance – Chhattisgarh Excise (Amendment) Ordinance 2017. As per the Ordinance, the government would constitute a state-owned corporation to facilitate the sale of both foreign and country-made liquor through government outlets.

This is published unedited from the PTI feed.