Mumbai: The Maharashtra Legislative Council
was on Thursday adjourned four times over the Adarsh housing scam
issue.
Leader of Opposition Pandurang Phundkar (BJP) moved an
adjournment motion when the proceedings began, demanding
discussion on the scam, but Council Chairman Shivajirao
Deshmukh did not accept the motion.
The opposition Shiv Sena-BJP members then trooped into
the well and shouted slogans against the government.
Deshmukh called for question-answer hour, but was forced
to adjourn the House for 25 minutes due to the protest.
Earlier, while presenting the adjournment motion,
Phundkar said there were reports that members of the 2-member
Commission probing the scam were not getting salaries, and did
not have office. He also mentioned that former Mumbai
municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak had been made 14th
accused in the case.
The government needed to explain the issue, he said.
But, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said that CBI and
the Commission were probing the matter, besides a case was
pending before Bombay High Court, so it would not be
appropriate for the government to speak on the issue.
Council Chairman accepted this reasoning to disallow
discussion on the scam, but the opposition protested against
the decision and the house was adjourned four times: for 25
minutes, 10 minutes, 25 minutes and again for 25 minutes.
When the house convened again, Deshmukh said the matter
had been discussed with Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan,
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the opposition members.
It was decided to hold a discussion on the issue on
Monday, he said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, March 17, 2011, 22:20