Speaker’s verdict against Supreme Court guidelines, says irate MVA

Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders criticized speaker Rahul Narwekar's order on the Shiv Sena disqualification petitions, saying it went against Supreme Court guidelines. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray called the verdict a "murder of democracy" and announced his party would challenge it in the Supreme Court. However, ruling party leaders welcomed Narwekar's decision as a victory for democracy.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders slammed speaker Rahul Narwekar’s order on the Shiv Sena disqualification petitions, reiterating that the verdict was against the guidelines given by the Supreme Court. While they expressed the hope that the SC would do justice by them, ruling party leaders welcomed Narwekar’s decision, claiming it was “a victory for democracy and a lesson for dynastic politicians”.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray came down heavily on Narwekar and announced that his party would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court. Dubbing the verdict a “murder of democracy” and “match-fixing”, Thackeray said the speaker had proved that he did not respect the apex court which, in its judgement, had called the appointment of Bharat Gogawale as chief whip ‘illegal’. “Although we are checking the possibility of filing a contempt of court petition against Narwekar, it is possible he was aware of some legal facet because of which a contempt petition could not be filed against him and that’s why he misused his power. The SC should then take suo motu note of Narwekar’s act.”

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the speaker’s verdict was not a victory of any party but the victory of democracy. “This is a victory of hardworking people and merit,” he said. “I have always fought against forces that compromise for political gain and have no respect for the people’s mandate. If one has to protect democracy, then the internal democracy of the party also has to be respected. Dynastic politics and compromises for political gain are diseases in the political arena. Dynastic politics has ended merit in the political system.”

Without irony, Shinde declared that Uddhav’s father, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, did not want his party to go “the Congress way”. “The speaker’s decision will boost those fighting against the cancer of dynastic politics,” he repeated. “This is a lesson to parties who disrespect merit. Following Wednesday’s judgement, any political worker can dream of making it big in politics.”

Speaking after the ruling, Narwekar claimed his order had addressed the directives of the Supreme Court. “I had to decide which the real party was by considering the Constitution of the party and the structure of the leadership,” he said. “The order aptly addresses these issues. I am sure this will count as an appropriate and sustainable decision which is within the framework of parliamentary democracy. It is not my duty to see whether my decision pleases or displeases any party. The Thackeray faction is free to move the Supreme Court, but it does not make the order faulty.”

Sharad Pawar, NCP chief and Thackeray’s ally in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi coalition, said that the verdict was against the guidelines determined by the Supreme Court, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction had strong reason to approach the apex court. “The SC, in its verdict, had given importance to the party organisation, as they are the one who select candidates,” he pointed out. “The speaker, on the contrary, has held the majority status of the legislative party more important, based on which the right to issue a whip was also given to them.”

Pawar said that according to the Tenth Schedule, an elected representative could be disqualified for violation of the whip. “But the Speaker, after snatching away the Uddhav Thackeray faction’s right to issue a whip, decided not to disqualify his MLAs for violating the whip issued by the Shinde faction during the election for the speaker’s position,” he said. “It means the SC guidelines were ignored in this judgment. Because of the wording used in the verdict, I’m sure Uddhav Thackeray will get justice in the Supreme Court.”

Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Chavan too expressed the hope that Thackeray would get justice in the apex court. “Considering the current political regime, the judgement by the speaker is not surprising,” he said. “At this moment, not just Maharashtra but the whole country has sympathy for Uddhav Thackeray. It is not just his fight but a fight to save democracy in the country.”

Shiv Sena MLC Anil Parab, who went to Delhi on Wednesday to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court, said that the party had expected Narwekar to do this. “But he has given the decision in such a way that the SC might not act immediately,” he said. “Since he has not disqualified Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs, the SC may say that there is no urgency to hear the plea. They will ask us to follow the procedure, and in this, the BJP will get time till the Lok Sabha elections are over.”

Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, while welcoming the decision, said that “some people” had deliberately tried to destabilise the political stability of the state but the current government was strong and would complete its tenure. “From the very beginning, we have been saying that constitutional and legal procedures were followed while forming the government in the state under the leadership of chief minister Eknath Shinde,” he said. “After the order given today by the speaker, citing various rules, there is no reason to doubt the stability of the government now. I repeat: this government will complete its term.”