Mumbai: Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council, on Thursday lashed out at Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar for not inviting her for a cultural event that was held in the Assembly premises on Wednesday night.
Gorhe said, “No one has discussed it with me. It is not the first incident where I was being ignored. During the installation of an oil painting of late Balasaheb Thackeray in Vidhan Sabha premises, the picture was not shown to me before inauguration. It was in the complete control of Narvekar. At that time I thought the chairman had become too powerful to keep Bal Thackeray in his custody. I had kept quiet because that was the issue of Bal Thackeray.”
She added, “At least I would know in the capacity of a Deputy Chairman, what is going on in the Vidhan Sabha and its premises. The Assembly Secretary told me in the absence of the Chairman all the right goes to the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly. I think I should make up my mind that I will have to see the work of only the legislative council, not more than that.”
Raising the issue in the council, NCP MLC Shashikant Shinde said, “Yesterday a cultural programme was organised within the premises of Vidhan Bhavan. We were not invited and later I came to know that even the Deputy Chairman was also not invited. This should not have happened. I am aware that the chairman of the Assembly and the Chairman of the Legislative Council combined should take decisions about any program of Vidhan Sabha and the area.”
“We request Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil that powers of Deputy Chairman should be kept alive,” Shinde added.
MLC Kapil Patil said, “What is the legislative process? Our constitution has stated very clearly about it. This is not the question of discussion, it is the question of powers of council and procedure laid by constitutions. No one has the right to disturb the procedure.”
On the above question, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil said, “It is a topic which needs to be discussed. I will inform the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Vidhan Sabha chairman.”
