MLC suspended over Army wives remark

State forms panel to probe the matter, give legislator a hearing and recommend final action to be taken against him

Patil, and Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Dhananjay Munde, opposition leader in the upper house.

The committee will also comprise members of the state legislative council such as BJP’S Vijay Girkar, NCP’S Sunil Tatkare, Shiv Sena’s Neelam Gorhe, Congress’ Narayan Rane and Sharad Ranpise, Peasants and Workers Party’s (PWP’S) Jayant Patil and Lok Bharati’s Kapil Patil. Anant Kalse, principal secretary of the state legislature, will serve as the committee’s member secretary.

While campaigning for the civic polls last month, Paricharak, a legislator from Solapur, had joked that soldiers stationed at the border distribute sweets when their wives give birth, even though they haven’t come home in a year. He thus indirectly alleged that soldiers’ wives are unfaithful. Paricharak later apologised for his remarks.

“Although the legislator apologised through newspapers and other news media sources, his remarks were extremely objectionable. This kind of behaviour does not suit a member of the state legislature. We will give him a chance to express himself by forming a panel to look into the issue. The panel can recommend either suspension, a warning, any other punishment or expulsion from the house,” said Chandrakant Patil.

The high-power committee is expected to present its report before the monsoon session of the legislature begins.

The state legislative council could not function for the past three days, owing to demands for Paricharak’s expulsion. The Shiv Sena also supported the Opposition’s demands, putting pressure on the BJP.

Dhananjay Munde said he was content with the government’s decision. He added that the house would accept the committee’s decision. “Irrespective of which party a legislator belongs to, we should send out a strong message that the house will not tolerate this behaviour,” Munde said.

If Paricharak is expelled, he will become the second legislator to lose his membership to the house, after the late Jambuwantrao Dhote. Dhote was expelled from the state assembly in 1964 for throwing a paperweight at the speaker.