Updated on Monday, November 09, 2009, 16:07 IST Tags:Abu Azmi, Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra assembly
Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Assembly witnessed ugly scenes on Monday when newly-elected MLAs of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) attacked Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi for taking the oath of office and secrecy in Hindi.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray had warned all 288 newly elected legislators, asking them to take oath only in Marathi. Azmi had refused to bow to Raj’s demand, categorically stating that it was a privilege to take oath in the national language.
"If they try to stop me, they could attract privilege proceedings," he declared today.
However, during the oath-taking ceremony today on the first day of the state Assembly’s inaugural session post the election of the new government, MNS MLA Ramesh Banjle snatched the mike as SP legislator Azmi began reading the oath in Hindi.
The tussle did not end there with other MNS legislators joining in and shouting slogans against Azmi. Ram Kadam and Shishir Kunde even exchanged blows with Azmi, with Kadam seen live on television slapping and hitting him on the chest and shoulders.
Marshalls had to be called in to control the situation as Protem Speaker Ganpatrao Deshmukh and legislators of other parties failed to defuse the situation.
The Assembly was adjourned for half an hour following the chaos.
Speaking to reporters later outside the Assembly, Azmi said those opposing him for taking the oath in Hindi were insulting the Constitution of India.
“I am well within my rights to take oath in Hindi and Raj Thackeray is no one to tell me to take oath in Marathi,” he said.
Azmi called on the state police to arrest MNS legislators, saying he cannot tolerate the insult of the nation, its Constitution and language.
Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who was present when the MNS members created the ruckus, termed the incident as "regretful" and urged that the legislators should be dealt with very strictly.
Defending the actions of the party legislators, MNS spokesperson Shirish Parker even argued that Hindi was not the national language of the country.
Those MLAs who have not taken their oath should forthwith do so in Hindi to challenge Raj Thackeray, the Marathi Jinnah. It is expected the BJP MLAs, especially those whose mother tongue is Marathi, would take their oath in Hindi to show that they stand first and foremost for the nation. Otherwise Abu Azmi, a pro-Pakistani, would seek to take over the nationalistic space in Maharashtra.
http://www.zeenews.com/news577371.html
Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Assembly witnessed ugly scenes on Monday when newly-elected MLAs of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) attacked Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi for taking the oath of office and secrecy in Hindi.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray had warned all 288 newly elected legislators, asking them to take oath only in Marathi. Azmi had refused to bow to Raj’s demand, categorically stating that it was a privilege to take oath in the national language.
"If they try to stop me, they could attract privilege proceedings," he declared today.
However, during the oath-taking ceremony today on the first day of the state Assembly’s inaugural session post the election of the new government, MNS MLA Ramesh Banjle snatched the mike as SP legislator Azmi began reading the oath in Hindi.
The tussle did not end there with other MNS legislators joining in and shouting slogans against Azmi. Ram Kadam and Shishir Kunde even exchanged blows with Azmi, with Kadam seen live on television slapping and hitting him on the chest and shoulders.
Marshalls had to be called in to control the situation as Protem Speaker Ganpatrao Deshmukh and legislators of other parties failed to defuse the situation.
The Assembly was adjourned for half an hour following the chaos.
Speaking to reporters later outside the Assembly, Azmi said those opposing him for taking the oath in Hindi were insulting the Constitution of India.
“I am well within my rights to take oath in Hindi and Raj Thackeray is no one to tell me to take oath in Marathi,” he said.
Azmi called on the state police to arrest MNS legislators, saying he cannot tolerate the insult of the nation, its Constitution and language.
Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who was present when the MNS members created the ruckus, termed the incident as "regretful" and urged that the legislators should be dealt with very strictly.
Defending the actions of the party legislators, MNS spokesperson Shirish Parker even argued that Hindi was not the national language of the country.
Those MLAs who have not taken their oath should forthwith do so in Hindi to challenge Raj Thackeray, the Marathi Jinnah. It is expected the BJP MLAs, especially those whose mother tongue is Marathi, would take their oath in Hindi to show that they stand first and foremost for the nation. Otherwise Abu Azmi, a pro-Pakistani, would seek to take over the nationalistic space in Maharashtra.
http://www.zeenews.com/news577371.html
No comments:
Post a Comment