Maha Opposition stages walkout from Assembly after refused discussion over phone tapping issue

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 22 (ANI): The Opposition leaders of the Maharashtra legislative assembly on Thursday staged a walk-out after Speaker Rahul Narwekar denied a debate on the phone-tapping incident raised by Congress MLA Nana Patole.

Despite relentless pleas by the Opposition legislators before the Speaker to discuss the phone-tapping incident, the same was denied, to which Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar jabbed at Narwekarthat and said that the speaker was shielding the government and staged a walk-out from the House along with other Opposition MLAs.

Pawar said that rule 57 of the state legislature entails keeping aside the listed proceedings to take up issues of utmost importance.

"The phone tapping issue was very important so we requested to stop the Q and A session and asked for a discussion over the phone tapping issue, as the BJP-Shinde govt formed the investigation but it was stopped. We have been in the house for the past 30 to 35 years and we know how the functioning is but an attempt to crab our voice has been made, and clean chit has been given to them, so today we decided to walk out from the house," said Pawar.

There were allegations of phone tapping levelled by several MLAs including Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole. The controversy over phone tapping erupted in 2020 after audio clips purportedly having a telephonic conversation between Union minister Gajendra Singh and Congress leaders surfaced.

Pune Police also registered an FIR against former city Police Commissioner Rashmi Shukla in the Maharashtra phone tapping case. The case was registered under section 26 of the Indian Telegraph Act. (ANI)