The Maharashtra Assembly was briefly adjourned on Monday after the Shiv Sena members demanded that BJP legislator Nitesh Rane be suspended over his alleged inappropriate behaviour towards state Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray. The issue was raised by Shiv Sena MLA Suhas Kande after the Question Hour. Incidentally, Rane was not present in the assembly.
He alleged that last week, Rane, while sitting in the Vidhan Bhavan premises, made 'meow' sounds looking in the direction of Thackeray, when he was going inside the building.
Shiv Sena legislator Bhaskar Jadhav demanded that Rane be permanently suspended as a member of the Assembly. The Shiv Sena members shouted slogans in support of their demand following which the Chair adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
After the House resumed, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said Nitesh Rane, who is the son of union minister Narayan Rane, will be reprimanded for his comments. "But, suspending a member for an incident that had happened outside the House is not right," he said.
Fadnavis said earlier Bhaskar Jadhav would make noises when NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal used to enter the House. On the other hand, BJP legislator Chandrakant Patil wondered why the issue, about the incident which happened outside, was being discussed in the House. "Did Nitesh Rane take any name?" he asked.
The presiding officer said a meeting of all group leaders will be held on Tuesday to ensure such incidents do not take place again.
