In a dramatic turn of events, eighteen BJP MLAs from Jharkhand were suspended from the Assembly until 2 pm on Friday following two days of disruptive protests. The suspended legislators had staged an overnight sit-in within the Assembly premises, demanding answers from Chief Minister Hemant Soren on issues including job creation and the regularization of contractual workers.
Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato described the events as a ?black chapter in the history of the Assembly.? He stated that the 18 BJP MLAs were suspended for causing commotion and uproar, barring them from entering the Assembly until 2 pm on August 2. The BJP, however, condemned the suspensions, calling them a ?murder of democracy.?
The confrontation began on Wednesday when BJP MLAs started protesting and raising slogans, insisting that CM Soren address their queries. According to Speaker Mahato, ?Hemant Soren told them that he would respond, but the MLAs did not pay heed. They were inside the Assembly overnight? Next day, they started protesting again, and Assembly proceedings had to be suspended for a while. Even after a break, they did not let the Assembly function and brought a banner inside the House. The marshalls had to be called in to escort them out of the proceedings room.?
Mahato further criticized the MLAs for using social media to ridicule the Assembly, stating, ?This is a black chapter in the history of the Jharkhand Assembly, and we cannot be silent on these issues as this would perpetuate this mentality.?
In response, the BJP accused the Speaker of attempting to suppress the opposition's voice. ?The Speaker is using his powers to suppress the voice of the Opposition, which is the voice of the people of Jharkhand. The Speaker is behaving like a government worker? The public has the right to know under which rules the MLAs have been suspended. We were asking questions related to the future of the youths, and since Hemant Soren doesn?t have any answer, he is using his tactics to suppress us,? stated Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri.
Bauri also claimed that on Wednesday night, the protesting BJP MLAs were prevented from accessing toilets and that the electricity was cut off in the Assembly premises. He added that the MLAs were forced to vacate both the proceedings room and the room allocated for Opposition leaders.
