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Noisy scenes in M.P. Assembly

Staff Correspondent

Opposition demands discussion on the Uma Bharti-linked violent incident

PHOTO: A.M. Faruqui

Former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and Leader of the Opposition Jamuna Devi addressing the media at the Vidhan Sabha in Bhopal on Wednesday.

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Assembly was adjourned twice on Wednesday— once for half-an-hour and then for the entire day--when the Congress and other opposition MLAs began protesting loudly, with some of them even rushing into the well of the House, demanding a discussion on the Uma Bharti-linked violent incident during polling for the Malehra by-election.

Immediately after question hour, the Congress members led by Digvijay Singh sought a discussion on the Malehra incident through an adjournment motion moved earlier by them.

The Speaker, Ishwardas Rohani, said the motion had been received by him and the Government had been asked to submit a reply. After receiving the Government's version, he would take a decision on Thursday whether the House should admit the motion or call for a debate on its admissibility.

This led to a loud protest from the Opposition. Prominent among those who protested were former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, Opposition leader Jamuna Devi, Satyadev Katare, Arif Aqueel, and Sunilam of the Samajwadi Party.

When the protest from the Opposition side did not subside and even those occupying the ruling benches stood up to counter the Opposition, the House was adjourned for 30 minutes.

When the House resumed, the Opposition was unrelenting and some MLAs even rushed to the well of the House. At this, the Speaker adjourned the Assembly proceedings till Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Bada Malehra police have lodged an FIR against Uma Bharti and some of her supporters under Section 307 of Indian Penal Code, which covers attempt to murder. An FIR under the same section has also been filed against Shankar Pratap Singh, a BJP worker, and others on the complaint of Ms. Bharti's driver, who was injured in the October 30 incident. The incident involving Ms. Bharti took place outside a polling booth at Sairora village in the Malehra constituency at the fag end of polling on Monday.

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