MUMBAI: A day after the scuffle at the Maharashtra state legislative assembly premises, Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday announced setting up an ethics panel, empowered to disqualify members, within a week. He also said that visitors will not be allowed in Vidhan Bhavan when the session is on. On Thursday, BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar brought goons, who face serious charges against them, to the Vidhan Bhavan and instructed them to attack NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad’s close aide Nitish Deshmukh thereby causing an uproar in the House.Speaker Rahul Narwekar said that taking cognizance of the untoward incidents a decision has been taken to set up an ethics panel. Moreover, he urged Gopichand Padalkar and Jitendra Awhad to express regret for the incident.Following this, Padalkar acquiesced but Jitendra Awhad declined to apologize claiming that the Speaker tabled false information on the floor of the House. He said Nitin Deshmukh did not accompany him and that he came separately.“At the time when the brawl broke out, I was not in the Vidhan Bhavan. I have nothing to do with this brawl,” Awhad clarified.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis intervened saying that this brawl has sullied the image of the House and MLAs as well. “People are not happy with us. They say Amdar majale – MLAs are drunk with power therefore he urged the need to work collectively to improve the image of the House and lawmakers.” Rahul Narwekar said within a week, they will form the panel and even prepare the standard operating procedures as well.
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