Gujarat leader of opposition suspended for entire budget session

Gandhinagar:  Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly, Shaktisinh Gohil was today suspended for the entire budget session, following his refusal to tender an apology in the House, over his remarks on nexus between the government and Adani Group.

Soon after the Question Hour, Minister of State for Legislative Affairs Pradipsinh Jadeja moved a motion that Gohil be suspended till he apologises to the House for his alleged remarks made two days ago in the state assembly.

The motion further said if Gohil does not tender his apology to the House he should be suspended for the entire budget session, ending on March 30. Speaker Ganpat Vasava took the motion to voice vote and it was passed with majority amid opposition from Congress MLAs.

Gohil had on Wednesday, alleged that government was “working in collusion” with Gujarat-based Adani Group to which Parliamentary affairs minister Diliip Sanghani had taken exception, saying it was a personal remark against him, and demanded that Gohil apologise to the House, if not to him.

Speaker Vasava ruled the same as it was a personal remark, but the Leader of Opposition refused to apologise, saying he never made any personal remark. In the last two days, proceedings of the state assembly were disrupted time and again on the same issue and the Speaker has adjourned the House six times in the two days.

Gohil had demanded that a three-member panel of state Congress chief Arjun Modhvadiya, Sanghani and the Speaker should recheck the house record, and decide on the issue. However, Speaker had rejected his demand by saying that he has given his ruling on the issue and the Leader of assembly has to follow it.

Miffed, the Congress moved a no-confidence motion against the Speaker yesterday. The motion, which was signed by 19 MLAs has to be tabled in the House in next 14 days as per rule.

PTI