Jai Ram Thakur says 7 BJP MLAs have received notices on 'ruckus' in Himachal assembly

Shimla: Seven BJP MLAs have received notices for allegedly creating a ruckus in the Vidhan Sabha on February 28, Leader of the opposition Jai Ram Thakur said on Tuesday.

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania confirmed that notices have been sent to some BJP MLAs, and said the matter has been referred to the Privileges Committee.

The speaker did not specify the number of legislators against who proceedings have been initiated.

The notices have been issued to the BJP MLAs for creating a ruckus in the House and not leaving it when it was briefly adjourned after the suspension of 15 BJP legislators.

The BJP MLAs were suspended a day after the the opposition party won the elections for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh after some Congress MLAs cross-voted in favour of saffron party candidate Harsh Mahajan.

"Notices have been received from some members (on the ruckus) and I have also taken suo motu notice. The matter has been referred to the Privileges Committee," Pathania told PTI on Tuesday.

"The indiscipline created by BJP legislators inside the House invites action for breach of privilege, rules and constitutional provisions and notices are being issued to them in this regard," he said.

MLAs can protest in a dignified manner and raise slogans but throwing papers on the chair of the speaker is not permissible, Pathania said. The Privileges Committee would hold its proceedings on camera and submit a report, he said.

On February 28, the speaker had adjourned the House after suspending 15 BJP MLAs, including leader of the opposition Jai Ram Thakur for misbehavior with the marshall outside the speaker's office and creating a ruckus on February 27, but the suspended BJP MLAs refused to leave the House and threw papers on the chair of the speaker and raised slogans.

Thakur told PTI that they will respond to the notice and said the Congress party had lost its majority in the assembly.

In a statement issued here, Thakur said the Congress is hatching a conspiracy to save the government by issuing notice to seven BJP MLAs through Privileges Committee.

The BJP MLAs were suspended before the passing of the budget as the government did not have a majority after six Congress MLAs and three independents had voted in favour of BJP candidate in Rajya Sabha polls, the former chief minister said.

The democratic rights of the legislators are being violated, he said.

Earlier, six Congress MLAs were disqualified for defying the party whip asking them to be present in the House and vote in favour of the government's budget.

The House passed the Finance Bill by voice vote after Pathania suspended 15 BJP MLAs.