Nagpur, Dec 08: Maharashtra Assembly was adjourned for half an hour today on the opening day of winter session of the state legislature amidst noisy scenes as opposition members moved into the well of the house demanding suspension of question hour and taking up discussion on multi-crore fake stamp paper scam, which the Speaker rejected. As soon as the house assembled, opposition leader in assembly Narayan Rane (Shiv Sena) urged the Speaker Arun Gujarati to suspend question hour under Rule 57. Rane said the then commissioner of police of Mumbai, R S Sharma, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the scam but Sharma was given a "clean chit" by Deputy Chief Minister Chahagn Bhujbal who holds home portfolio.
He contended that giving clean chit to Sharma amounts to committing an offence under Section 114 of IPC and hence Bhujbal should be arrested. Rane was supported by Gopinath Munde and house BJP leader Eknath Khadse. Defending himself Bhujbal said Narayan Rane had issued a vendor's licence to one Madhav Devadia also involved in the scam.
Minister for Energy Dilip Walse Patil and Congress member Kirti Gandhi (Yavatmal) vehemently opposed suspension of question hour.
Finally when the Speaker took up starred questions for the day, entire opposition raised anti-government slogans, put up cloth banners condemning the scam and involvement of DF ministers and moved into the well of the house, prompting speaker to adjourn the lower house for half an hour.
Bureau Report