Thaindian News

Mumbai, June 16 (IANS) Opposition parties in Maharashtra Tuesday accused the state government of “attempting to protect” some members of the ruling coalition by failing to make public the Ram Pradhan Committee report on the Mumbai terror attacks.
Talking to media persons, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader Nitin Gadkari claimed that the Pradhan Committee report has named some members of the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), besides officials.

“It is clear that the Democratic Front government is worried about the fall-out of the report before the state assembly elections and wants to protect its ministers and officials,” Gadkari told mediapersons.

He termed as “unprecedented” in the state’s history the suspension for long periods of three opposition members in the Legislative council who had demanded to know the contents of the committee report.

“This move is condemnable and we express solidarity with our suspended colleagues. It is clear that the government is attempting to hide the truth,” Gadkari said.

Earlier, pandemonium reigned in both houses of the state legislature minutes after the government tabled the ATR.

While senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinod Tawde was suspended for three years, his party colleague Arvind Sawant and Shiv Sena’s Diwakar Raote were suspended till the end of their term in the legislative council by Deputy Chairman Vasant Davkhare.

Another member, BJP’s Sardar Tara Singh who had occupied the chief minister’s chair, apologized to the members for insulting the dignity of the house by his action.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan remained absent from the legislature proceedings on the last day of the budget-cum-monsoon session.

During the pandemonium that prevailed, some members rushed to the well of the council and raised anti-government slogans.

Following the protests in the assembly, the house was adjourned for 20 minutes in the afternoon.

After it re-assembled, the opposition continued to disrupt the proceedings and vociferously reiterated its demand for the full report of the panel.

As the members refused to relent, the council deputy chairman finally announced the punitive action against the two BJP legislators and one Sena member.

The Pradhan Committee report was submitted to the government last fortnight, following which it set up a two-member committee to prepare an action taken report (ATR).

The committee which prepared the ATR included Chief Secretary Johny Joseph and Additional Chief Secretary (home) Chandra Iyengar.

The chief minister had earlier assured the legislature that the government would table both the Pradhan Committee report and the ATR simultaneously.