The presiding officers of the state legislature—legislative council chairman Ram Shinde and assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar—and CM Devendra Fadnavis are facing a piquant situation over dignity and decorum in both the Houses. In the recent past, Vice-President and chairman of Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar had expressed deep concern over unruly behaviour by a section of members in the Upper House. In the state legislature, it is more or less a similar situation. The use of unparliamentary words and rushing towards the podium has become a rule, rather than an exception. When Narwekar issued a stern warning to erring members, they tendered an unconditional apology, following which there was normalcy in the House. Certain senior members raised the issue of decorum and a need for fresh rules. It was then submitted that rules on discipline and decorum were already in place but very rarely implemented, as a result of which most members did not take them seriously. Even senior members have flouted the rules. A week ago, former speaker and former MPCC president Nana Patole climbed the speaker’s podium but was restrained by security personnel. Shockingly, Patole did not express regret after the House resumed proceedings.It was found the level of discussion and language used by members, too, is shocking and expressed without any regret. Leading politicians have expressed shock over the language used even by senior members. Veteran politicians like Vasantrao Naik, who was the CM for the longest period, Sharad Pawar, Vilasrao Deshmukh and S B Chavan participated in all debates, but they ensured that decorum and discipline were maintained. Parab’s bombshellShiv Sena (UBT) member Anil Parab dropped a bombshell when he disclosed that visitors facing charges of murder and booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act were loitering freely in the legislature hall. Immediately after Parab’s claim, speaker Rahul Narwekar banned the entry of visitors. According to legislature officials, the curbs were enforced immediately. In the past too, such prohibitory orders were promulgated but not implemented in letter and spirit. Apparently, the visitors Parab referred to were supporters of NCP (SP) legislator Jitendra Awhad and BJP’s Gopichand Padalkar. They engaged in a huge scuffle in the assembly’s lobby, which was brought to Narwekar’s notice. The matter was put to rest after both Awhad and Padalkar expressed regret over the clash. More shocking were the disclosures by Parab, who submitted that even as the legislature secretariat stated that entry passes are issued in accordance with the rules and regulations, the same are sold at a very high price. As a result, he said, several agents and unauthorised persons and agents gain entry to the legislature hall. Again, a big challenge not only for the presiding officers but the entire secretariat too.
