Fast to culminate into bigger fire, says speaker

Assembly Speaker Dhirubhai Shah on Friday indicated that his fast is just a spark that would culminate into bigger fire during his 24-hour symbolic fast at the entrance of the Vidhan Sabha here. Mr Shah was accompanied by deputy Speaker and MLA Mahendra Mashru.

"Small incidents are known to bring up big revolutions. My gesture is small but the response that it has received from Speakers of the legislative assemblies, legislative councils and parliamentarians shows that it may trigger a broad based discussion on observance of parliamentary norms, traditions and rules and the position of the Speaker," Mr Shah said.

"Gujarat has always taken a lead in initiating a revolution and I am sending a message across the country through my fast. My experiment is novel and has an ethos of Gujarat," Mr Shah said.

"There is also a general feeling within the people that the Vidhan Sabha on which crores of rupees are spent on a single session should help take constructive decisions should uphold parliamentary norms, disciplines and traditions," he said.

When asked whether the violent incidents were any different from those that took place during the 1996 Vidhan Sabha session when Suresh Mehta was the chief minister, Mr Shah said, "In my opinion there is no difference in what took place then and now. Files were flung, mikes grabbed and similar incidents had taken place," Mr Shah said.

Responding to the Congress allegation that it was the politics of Kutch that had led to their suspension and the fast, he said there is no possibility of any politics or internal dispute as the post of the Speaker is above any politics.

Haryana legislative assembly Speaker Satbir Singh Kadian who had come to meet Mr Shah said it is the prerogative of Speaker to take action in case of any disorderly behaviour. Deputy Speaker Upendra Trivedi said the Congress besides flinging papers and seizing mikes on his desk had also used expletives forcing him to adjourn the session.

Chief minister Keshubhai Patel who met Mr Shah said the Opposition had failed to make good use of the time to conduct discussions on the earthquake and drought and had instead resorted to violence by ransacking the Speaker’s office and also broke window panes and removed the name plate in my office. "The Congress created a Bihar type situation in the state which is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Dayanand Saraswati," Mr Patel said. He said the fast signifies the concern and the anxiety of the Speaker towards the violent incidents.

Amongst those who visited the Speaker included finance minister Vaju Vala, social welfare minister Fakir Vaghela and several other ministers and well wishers.

Republished from Asian Age