Mumbai, Dec 28 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said MLAs who represent the people of the state need to maintain decorum and follow parliamentary protocols in the Assembly and Vidhan Bhavan premises.
He was speaking in the Assembly on code of conduct for members.
Legislative Assembly deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal said a booklet on model code of conduct for members in the House and in Vidhan Bhavan premises has been provided to them.
Zirwal said the booklet has been sent to MLAs through emails and hard copies have also been made available in the legislature.
The deputy speaker said the decision to distribute the booklet to MLAs was taken after a meeting of group leaders, whips and the leader of the opposition in his chamber in the morning.
The meeting was called in response to a letter sent by Shiv Sena MLA and party whip Sunil Prabhu.
Pawar said Assembly members, who present the 12 crore population of the state, need to exercise decorum and follows parliamentary protocols.
He said times have changed as live telecast of proceedings allows citizens to gauge what their elected representatives are doing in the House.
“We don’t represent animals. Making fun of others and making sounds of animals is betrayal of the people’s trust in you,” Pawar said, apparently referring to last week’s incident of BJP MLA Nitesh Rane making “meow” sound when state minister Aaditya Thackeray entered the Vidhan Bhavan premises.
Similarly, the opposition BJP had accused Shiv Sena member Bhaskar Jadhav of mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House last week, an act for which the ruling party MLA later apologized.
Pawar said conduct of the members reflects on the dignity of the House.
Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP supported Pawar .
Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP) said rights and dignity of members also need to be protected when they are working to raise people’s issues and the Chair needs to do something about it.
Notably, 12 BJP MLAs were suspended from the Assembly for one year for allegedly “misbehaving” with the presiding officer in the Speaker’s chamber during the monsoon session in July this year.
