Mumbai, March 17: AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan was Wednesday suspended from Maharashtra Assembly for refusing to say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ with legislators cutting across party lines pressing for action against him through a unanimous resolution.
Pathan, who represents Byculla seat in South Mumbai, will not be allowed to attend the proceedings of the House till the end of ongoing Budget session.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Girish Bapat said, “Pathan was suspended from Assembly for showing disrespect to national heroes and refusal to say Bharat Mata ki Jai.”
It all began when All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA from Aurangabad, Imtiaz Jaleel, was speaking on the debate on the Governor’s address in the Assembly.
Jaleel said the government should not spend taxpayers’ money on building memorials of ‘great personalities’.
A Shiv Sena MLA interjected, saying Jaleel’s party leader Asaduddin Owaisi had recently stated he will not chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
To this, Pathan said, “We will say ‘Jai Hind’ but not ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. There cannot be compulsion on saying ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. The Constitution does not say this.”
Immediately after his remarks, MLAs from ruling BJP and Shiv Sena and other Opposition parties including Congress and NCP demanded suspension of AIMIM legislators from the House.
Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse said the AIMIM MLAs should apologise but his suggestion was shot down by angry members of the House, who, setting aside political differences, sought their suspension.
