December 15, 2020 1:49:07 pm
Arnab Goswami; Kangana Ranaut
On Tuesday, the Maharashtra Assembly extended the time for the privilege committee to present its report on privilege violation notifications against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and actress Kangana Ranaut until the last day of the next session of the legislature.
Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik submitted the privilege violation notices against Goswami and Ranaut to the office of the Speaker of the State Assembly on September 7.
Sarnaik had a dispute with Ranaut in the past after he compared Mumbai to Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The MLA had also sought the reopening of an alleged complicity case in the 2018 suicide in which Goswami was recently arrested by Mumbai police. Goswami is currently out on bail.
BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar, speaking at the State Assembly on Tuesday, wondered if the scope of the privilege violation is expanding.
“When was the notice accepted and turned into a motion? Was 29-member due process followed in favor of notice on the Chamber floor? I ask.
He said that the violation of the privilege would be used against those who create obstacles in the functioning of the Chamber.
BJP MLA Atul Bhatkalkar said “Why use the Legislative Assembly when libel laws exist to take action against certain people?”
State Minister of Food and Civil Supplies Chhagan Bhujbal said the items listed on the agenda were only to grant an extension to the privilege committee to present its report.
The chairman of the privileges committee, Deepak Kesarkar, said the notices were accepted by the chairman and sent to the committee.
“Any discussion on this issue is a usurpation of the rights of the speaker,” he said.
State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab said that all legislators have special privileges and “what good are they if they are not used.”
Assembly Speaker Nana Patole said Uddhav Thackeray is the prime minister and head of state. “It is not a question of individuals but of the position, and any insult to the position is an insult to the state and the Legislature,” he said.
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