5 mlas barred from house, face arrest

The Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday suspended five MLAs involved in Tuesday’s assault on a police officer inside Vidhan Bhavan premises for the rest of the year and now they face the prospect of being arrested. Showing no leniency towards its own members for their violent conduct, the House on Wednesday passed by voice vote a resolution moved by parliamentary affairs minister Harshvardhan Patil to place the MLAs under suspension. Those suspended for their involvement in the unsavoury incident are: Ram Kadam (MNS), Jaykumar Rawal (BJP), Kshitij Thakur (Bahujan Vikas Agadhi), Rajan Salvi (Shiv Sena) and Pradeep Jaiswal (Independent). Making the announcement in the House, Mr Patil said the MLAs’ action was “serious and lowered the dignity of the august house”. During the course of their suspension till December 31, 2013 the MLAs would not only be barred from participating in the proceedings but will also not be allowed to enter the legislature premises in Mumbai and Nagpur. Sachin Suryavanshi, an assistant police inspector attached to the Worli police station, was beaten black and blue by a group of MLAs at Vidhan Bhavan. Suryavanshi had stopped the vehicle of Kshitij Thakur on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link on Monday and slapped a fine for speeding.