Government to check video footage of MNS leaders' speeches

Maharashtra Government would examine video footage of speeches by MNS leaders to check if they "instigated" party MLAs, leading to the assault on SP legislator Abu Asim Azmi in the Assembly on Monday.

Maharashtra Government would examine video footage of speeches by MNS leaders to check if they "instigated" party MLAs, leading to the assault on SP legislator Abu Asim Azmi in the Assembly on Monday.

HT Image

"The video footage would be investigated to check any instigation by the leaders during their earlier speeches," Chief Minister Ashok Chavan told reporters in Mumbai.

Condemning the ruckus created by MNS members in the House, Chavan said "their attitude was unlawful and they tried to attack the members of House. So, the Government moved a resolution to suspend them from the House for four years."

Meanwhile, terming the suspension as one-sided, MNS MLA Bala Nandgaonkar said the party members were not heard by the Presiding Officer.

"Our opinion was not heard by the Speaker and the resolution was carried by the House due to the brute majority of the Congress-NCP combine," he said.

He alleged that Azmi provoked MNS legislators while taking oath in Hindi and demanded similar action against him.

Nandgaonkar also criticised Shiv Sena and BJP for not supporting them on the cause of Marathi, saying the saffron alliance abstained during vote on the suspension of four MNS legislators.

On MNS's strategy after suspension of the members, he said party chief Raj Thackeray would decide the next move.