Shinde's sharp jibe over walkout
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday took a dig at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, saying that the 'jor ka jhatka' (strong shock) had disturbed their mental balance. The comment came after MLAs of the Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Aaditya Thackeray, along with other opposition parties, walked out of the state assembly.
The opposition MLAs staged a walkout objecting to ministers replying to questions related to other departments, a practice they termed 'illegal'. The walkout was led by Aaditya Thackeray, who accused the government of violating assembly rules.
Background of the controversy
The walkout occurred during the question hour when ministers were answering queries not pertaining to their own portfolios. The opposition claimed that this was a breach of legislative norms and demanded that the Speaker take action. However, the ruling coalition defended the practice, stating that it was a common procedure to ensure efficiency.
According to sources, the opposition's protest was pre-planned, and the Shiv Sena (UBT) had decided to corner the government on the issue. The walkout was joined by Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs as well.
Shinde's reaction
Reacting to the walkout, CM Shinde said, 'The jor ka jhatka (strong shock) that they received has disturbed their mental balance. They are unable to think rationally.' He was referring to the split in the Shiv Sena last year when a majority of MLAs led by Shinde broke away from the Uddhav faction and formed a government with the BJP.
Shinde further added that the opposition was frustrated because they had lost power and were now indulging in such theatrics. 'Instead of walking out, they should focus on raising issues that matter to the people,' he said.
Opposition's response
Aaditya Thackeray dismissed Shinde's remarks, calling them 'immature'. He said, 'The chief minister should focus on governance rather than making personal comments. The walkout was a protest against the government's violation of assembly rules.'
The opposition has demanded that the Speaker ensure strict adherence to the rule that ministers can only answer questions related to their own departments. The issue is likely to be raised again in the next session.
