Gujarat Congress seeks FIR against two BJP ministers, Deputy Speaker

 Gandhinagar: Six out of 42 MLAs of Congress, who were evicted from the Gujarat Legislative Assembly last week for "indiscipline", on Monday sought registration of FIR against Deputy Speaker and two BJP ministers for "hatching" a conspiracy against the opposition party.

They are among 19 MLAs against whom FIR was filed by the sergeants of the Assembly for allegedly ransacking properties in the lobby of the state Assembly on March 26.

In their application given to sector-7 police station here, the legislators alleged the ministers Nitin Patel and Pradeepsinh Jadeja along with deputy speaker Atmaram Parmar, who chaired the session that day, hatched a conspiracy against the Congress to stop them from taking part in the discussion on the law and order situation.

The deputy speaker had evicted 42 MLAs of Congress for indiscipline who later allegedly ransacked furniture and door partitions near the Speaker's cabin to vent their ire. A police complaint was subsequently filed against 19 MLAs in this regard in sector-7 police station.

The six MLAs, led by Pravin Rathod, alleged in their application that as soon as they raised their voice against the less time alloted to the opposition to speak on the discussion on budgetary allocations for Home department, Patel asked Parmar to call in sergeants.

Parmar asked the sergeants to act tough against the agitating MLAs who were in turn beaten up and manhandled by the sergeants in the House in contravention of norms, said the application.

As per the application, MLAs Pravin Rathod, Prahlad Patel, Baldevji Thakor, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Anil Joshiara and Mohammad Javid Pirzada received serious injuries in the beating.

"Thus, we want the police to file an FIR against state health minister Nitin Patel, law minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja, deputy Speaker Atmaram Parmar and all those sergeants under relevant sections," it said.

Meanwhile, as part of their protest against the FIR lodged against 19 Congress MLAs for rioting and damaging public property on March 27, 40-odd Congress MLAs, except Leader of Opposition Shankersinh Vaghela, today attended the first half of Assembly session wearing black strips on their mouth and did not participate in question hour and in discussion on bills presented.

In the second half, senior Congress MLA Shaktisinh Gohil raised this issue through a point of order. However, when Nitin Patel interrupted him, Gohil and other Congress MLAs staged a walk-out from the House.

Later, Speaker Ganpat Vasava expunged Gohil's entire speech from the records.

When contacted, inspector of sector-7 police station, Mini Joseph said she will approach the Speaker before proceeding further.

"The incident took place in the Assembly which is under the jurisdiction of Speaker. Thus, before filing an FIR or taking any other action based on this application, we will seek his (Speaker's) direction and move ahead as per his orders," said Joseph.