Opposition MLAs treated undemocratically in Rajasthan Assembly: Gehlot after ruckus in House

Jaipur, Aug 5 (PTI) Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday criticised the suspension of MLA Mukesh Bhakar from the Rajasthan Assembly, saying opposition members are being treated undemocratically in the House.

Amid uproar and sloganeering in the House today over an issue related to the appointment of government lawyers, Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani announced the suspension of Mukesh Bhakar for the remaining sessions on the proposal moved by Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg.

Ugly scenes were witnessed in the Rajasthan Assembly after chairperson Sandeep Sharma ordered marshals to evict the suspended MLA from the House.

Other Congress MLAs prevented marshals from escorting the member out of the House. One MLA fell down during the melee, another said her bangles broke. Slogan-shouting Congress members then occupied the well of the House, sitting on a dharna even after the chairperson announced an adjournment for the day.

Gehlot claimed the marshals pushed Congress MLA Harimohan Sharma to the ground and misbehaved with another party MLA Anita Jatav.

"I strongly condemn the suspension and forceful expulsion of Congress MLA Mukesh Bhakar from the Assembly first, then the marshals pushing senior MLA Harimohan Sharma to the ground and even breaking the bangles of MLA Anita Jatav by misbehaving with her," he wrote on X.

He added, "This is the result of the dictatorial thinking of the BJP government of the state due to which such misbehavior was done with the elected public representatives. The kind of undemocratic and biased behaviour being meted out to the MLAs of the opposition in the assembly is extremely unfortunate." Meanwhile, Speaker Devnani issued a statement, saying MLA Bhakar displayed indecent behaviour with his hand gestures, which is unheard of in the history of the Vidhan Sabha since 1952.

"The opposition taking the side of such a member is highly condemnable and defending such a member is also indecent," he said.

Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra also expressed resentment over Bhakar's supension and "misbehaviour" with some Congress MLAs.

"The BJP government is hell-bent on destroying the dignity of the House. The indecency and misbehaviour with many members, including female Congress MLA Anita Jatav and MLA Harimohan Sharma in the assembly is highly condemnable," Dotasra's post on X read.

"The suspension of Congress MLA Mukesh Bhakar from the proceedings of the House is an example of their dictatorship. The BJP government, intoxicated with the pride of power, is trying to crush the voice of the opposition instead of answering the public issues in the House," he added.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot also reacted to this incident and wrote on 'X', "The suspension of MLA Mukesh Bhakar proves dictatorship. Along with this, Harimohan Sharma and Anita Jatav were also treated indecently, which doesn't suit the democratic values." PTI AG RPA