Mumbai: In a significant turn of events, the Maharashtra Legislative Council decided on Thursday to shorten the suspension of Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve from five days to three, allowing him to resume his participation in legislative proceedings starting Friday. The decision followed Danve's formal apology expressed through a letter, prompting a resolution to revise his suspension period.
Reflecting on the development, BJP leader MLA Chandrakant Patil brought forward a proposal during the session to mitigate the duration of Ambadas Danve's suspension. This move came amidst debates and discussions within the Council regarding the appropriateness of the initial suspension and the subsequent apology.
Deputy Speaker Neelam Gorhe explained the rationale behind the decision, stating, "Due to the use of unparliamentary language by the opposition leader on July 2nd, entry to the Vidhan Bhavan area was restricted. Considering his apology, the suspension period has been reduced from 5 to 3 days. Danve expressed regret through a written letter, leading to this adjustment."
Following the announcement, Ambadas Danve voiced his thoughts on the delayed resolution of his suspension, remarking, "They should have lifted the suspension immediately after my apology. Instead, it took three days. I will resume attending sessions from Friday, leaving me with four to five days of suspension in total. Despite being barred from the hall, I continued to engage with the public during my Janata Darbar."
The decision to curtail Danve's suspension came after a heated altercation on Monday between members of the ruling and opposition parties, during which Danve faced allegations from BJP MLA Prasad Lad regarding his conduct and language towards fellow legislators. Lad's demand for Danve's apology and resignation from the Leader of Opposition role further escalated tensions within the Council.
Danve, reflecting on his impending return, affirmed his commitment to representing the opposition vigorously. "I will continue to confront the ruling party with the same assertiveness as before," he stated.
