Maharashtra: Legislative Council LoP Ambadas Danve suspended, Uddhav Thackeray says "conspiracy"

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 2 (ANI): The Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, was suspended from the House for five days on Tuesday for using "foul and abusive language" against Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Prasad Lad.
Maharashtra Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil tabled a motion to suspend Ambadas Danve which was passed with a majority in the Legislative Council on Tuesday.
Deputy chairperson of the House Neelam Gorhe read the suspension order, which said, "Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve demonstrated indiscipline and used foul and abusive language towards legislator Prasad Lad."
"His behaviour tarnished the image and insulted the Council. If his misbehaviour is ignored, it could create a new precedence. A serious note is taken of his misbehaviour, and the House proposes his suspension for five days and ban him from entering the Vidhan Bhavan premises," he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party also held a protest in the Maharashtra assembly along with the Mahayuti alliance against Ambadas Danve. The protest was joined by Minister Girish Mahajan, Radhakrishna VK Patil, Pravin Darekar, Nationalist Congress Party's Anil Patil and Shivsena leader Manisha Kayande.
In reaction to the suspension, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve was suspended and not given the chance to present his views in the House owing to a "conspiracy" by the ruling Mahyuti alliance.
"Today, the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council has been suspended. He was not given a chance to present his views in the House. The ruling alliance has conspired and suspended the Leader of Opposition," Thackeray said in a press conference.
Thackeray also said that he does not believe that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi has insulted Hinduism during his speech on Monday. Notably, a massive uproar erupted in Lok Sabha yesterday over Rahul Gandhi's remarks. The BJP has accused the Raebareli MP of allegedly "insulting" the Hindu community.
"What Rahul Gandhi said about Hindus in the Lok Sabha, I support it. I do not believe that he has insulted Hinduism," he said.
The former Chief Minister said that it is wrong to bring a proposal in the Legislative Council to condemn Rahul Gandhi's speech and action should be taken against those who are pushing for such a proposal.
"Some people have objections to Jai Samvidhaan," he added. The Congress MPs have been shouting Jai Samvidhan slogans after taking their oaths in the Lok Sabha.
Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Maharashtra Legislative Council member Prasad Lad accused the Leader of Opposition (LoP) from the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, Ambadas Danve of using abusive language against him and demanded strict action against him by the Deputy Chairman.
Lad also insisted on passing a resolution in the Maharashtra Legislative Council against Rahul Gandhi for making a statement on Hindus in Parliament.
Ambadas Danve, argued against it and said that it is not their subject and the same is being discussed in Parliament.
"We should focus on our discussions," Danve reasoned.
Lad, along with the MLCs from the ruling Mahayuti coalition, objected and started questioning Ambadas Danve. "Aren't you a Hindu?" the Mahayuti MLCs asked Danve, continuously pointing fingers at him and demanding an answer. (ANI)