Maharashtra Assembly session adjourned amid heavy sloganeering over Sanjay Raut’s ‘chormandal’ remark

The Maharashtra Assembly Budget session was adjourned four times on Wednesday due to the uproar by opposition members.
| Photo Credit: ABHINAY DESHPANDE

The Maharashtra Assembly session was adjourned for the day on March 1 amid heavy sloganeering over Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut calling the legislature a “ chormandal” (body of thieves).

The Budget session was adjourned a total of four times — for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes and 15 minutes respectively — on Wednesday due to the uproar.

Mr. Raut was pilloried by the ruling and opposition members. The BJP submitted a breach of privilege notice against Mr. Raut for his remarks.

“If it has been said, the House can take appropriate action,” the Leader of Opposition and NCP leader Ajit Pawar said. Mr. Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress are allies of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Meanwhile, BJP MLA and the party’s Mumbai unit chief, Ashish Shelar, termed Mr. Raut’s remarks as “Anti-Maharashtra” and “Anti-National”. He demanded immediate action against the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP. “The lawmakers are being called thieves and it is an insult to the state,” he said.

Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Balasaheb Thorat also said that such remarks were unacceptable. “There is a need to check what actually has been said. At the same time, everyone should be careful what words are spoken in the House. We have also been called ‘anti-nationals’,” Mr. Thorat said.

Earlier, Opposition MLAs staged a protest on the Maharashtra Assembly premises against inflation and the recent hike in LPG cylinder prices. They also demanded 12 hours of free power supply to the State’s farmers.