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Gujarat Speaker Refers Congress MLA’s Vande Mataram Act to Committee
During a Gujarat Assembly ceremony, members were asked to stand while Vande Mataram was sung.
Imran Khedawala stood at first but sat down before the song ended.
The Speaker said this disrespected the House’s rules and the song.
He sent the matter to a committee for investigation.
Khedawala said his decision was personal.
Congress leaders expressed regret and said he did not speak for the party.
The committee is expected to give Khedawala a chance to explain himself.
It will then recommend what should happen next, and expulsion is one possibility mentioned by sources.
Gujarat Speaker Shankar Chaudhary referred Congress MLA Imran Khedawala to the Assembly Privilege Committee.
Khedawala sat down midway through Vande Mataram during the first day of the monsoon session.
The Speaker said the act violated House decorum and amounted to contempt of the House.
Khedawala called it a personal decision, while Congress leaders said it did not represent the party’s position.
The committee is expected to hear Khedawala and recommend possible action, with expulsion not ruled out.
- Who
- Gujarat Speaker Shankar Chaudhary, Congress MLA Imran Khedawala, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and the Assembly Privilege Committee are involved.
- What
- The Speaker ordered privilege proceedings against Khedawala for sitting down midway through the recitation of Vande Mataram.
- Where
- The incident took place in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.
- When
- The incident occurred on the first day of the Gujarat Assembly’s monsoon session; the referral order was issued on the session’s final day, Friday.
- Why
- The Speaker said Khedawala intentionally disregarded the Chair’s instruction and violated established standards of House conduct and decorum.
Khedawala and Congress Position
Speaker and Government Position
Meaning of the incident
Khedawala and Congress Position
Khedawala described sitting down as a personal decision, while Congress leaders said it was not the party’s position and expressed regret.
Speaker and Government Position
The Speaker said Khedawala opposed the recitation, violated House decorum and committed contempt of the House.
Intent and explanation
Khedawala and Congress Position
Khedawala defended his action publicly, but was absent when the Point of Order was raised in the House.
Speaker and Government Position
The Speaker concluded that the act was intentional and said Khedawala should have explained himself before the House rather than only to the media.
Potential consequences
Khedawala and Congress Position
The committee is expected to provide Khedawala a hearing under the principle of natural justice, including the possibility of an apology.
Speaker and Government Position
The committee will assess the seriousness of the matter and recommend action; sources said expulsion remains possible.
Key facts
- Speaker
- Shankar Chaudhary
- MLA involved
- Imran Khedawala, representing Jamalpur-Khadia in Ahmedabad
- Assembly strength
- 182 members
- Committee composition
- The committee is headed by Keshubhai Patel and has six other members, including five BJP members and one Congress member.
- Committee member from Congress
- Jignesh Mevani, MLA from Vadgam
- Possible outcome
- The committee will hear Khedawala and submit a report and recommendation; sources said expulsion cannot be ruled out.
Quotes
Shankar Chaudhary
Speaker of the Gujarat Assembly
“It is the duty of all of us to uphold this noble tradition and decorum, and we all abide by it…Imran Khedawala has blatantly violated these established norms of decorum and conduct in the House and has committed contempt of the House.”
indianexpress.com
“This incident became extremely serious as it occurred in the State Legislative Assembly, the supreme institution of democracy.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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