After SC squashes suspension of 12 BJP MLAs from Maha assembly, Sena’s Raut says ‘speaker will decide’

After the Supreme Court revoked the suspension of the 12 BJP MLAs from the Maharashtra assembly, Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut said that the BJP and the suspended MLAs should introspect about their actions.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to revoke the suspension of the 12 MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the Maharashtra assembly earlier on Friday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that a decision regarding the matter will be taken by the state assembly and the speaker.

“I think the decision has not been taken yet. The decision will be taken by the assembly and the speaker,” Sanjay Raut said. (PTI)

The MLAs were suspended back in July 2021 on the first day of the assembly’s monsoon session for alleged misbehaviour towards the speaker.

The Rajya Sabha MP also said that the BJP and the suspended MLAs also should introspect about their actions. “This decision (suspension) was taken by [the] Speaker in view of the situation at that time. The action was taken after the scuffle at his chamber. I think it is his right. Decisions are taken as per law and constitution. Suspended MLAs and their party need to self-introspect,” news agency ANI quoted Raut as saying.

“I think the decision has not been taken yet. The decision will be taken by the assembly and the speaker,” he further said.

The Supreme Court on Friday noted that the suspension should not have extended beyond one session of the assembly and said the decision of the assembly was “substantially illegal” and “irrational”.

Meanwhile, the BJP welcomed the top court’s decision with former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and called it “yet another tight slap on the face” of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government in Maharashtra.

“This decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court will save the democratic values and it is yet another tight slap on the face of the MVA Government for its unconstitutional, unethical, unfair, illegal and undemocratic actions and activities. I congratulate our BJP Maharashtra 12 MLAs for getting justice,” ANI quoted him as saying.

JP Nadda, BJP’s national president, said that the SC’s decision was a “victory of truth” against the MVA government’s actions against “Constitution and democracy”.

“I congratulate all the 12 MLAs. The BJP will continue to raise its voice against the unconstitutional activities of the Maharashtra government,” he tweeted in Hindi.

As many as 12 members – Sanjay Kute, Ashish Shelar, Abhimanyu Pawar, Girish Mahajan, Atul Bhatkhalkar, Parag Alavani, Harish Pimpale, Yogesh Sagar, Jay Kumar Rawat, Narayan Kuche, Ram Satpute and Bunty Bhangdia – were suspended from the state assembly earlier.

(With agency inputs)