Madhya Pradesh MLA Rambai Singh of the Bahujan Samaj Party on Friday protested against the government in the state Assembly after 28 members of her family were arrested for the alleged murder of a Congress leader, NDTV reported. Singh is one of the two Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs whose support helped the Congress-led state government cross the majority mark.
Singh’s husband Govind Singh and 27 others were arrested for allegedly murdering Devendra Chourasia, PTI reported. Chourasia had joined the Congress on March 12 this year and was killed three days later in Hatta town in Damoh district.
Singh, who represents Pathariya constituency, raised the matter during the Zero Hour in the Assembly. “Despite being part of your government, I am unable to get justice,” she said. “My family’s 28 members were sent to jail in the case. When despite being an MLA, I am unable to get justice, how will common people get it [justice].”
She demanded that the Assembly speaker order an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the murder. Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati, however, asked her to approach the concerned minister, stating that the chair won’t issue such directives, PTI reported.
Party colleague Sanju Singh Kushwah supported Singh on the matter in the Assembly. Singh later told media that her family members had been “falsely implicated” in the case. “But it doesn’t mean that I will stop supporting [Chief Minister] Kamal Nath ji,” she said.
Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs shouted “shame, shame” to support Singh. “It is an issue associated with a member of the House,” said BJP legislator and former minister Narottam Mishra. “The speaker should give his ruling on the matter...You have given her permission to raise the issue. Now you must give your ruling in this matter.”
The speaker, however, said the matter cannot be discussed in the House as it was sub judice.
Singh’s protest against the government comes at a time when the coalition government in Karnataka is faced with turmoil. The Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government may lose its majority in the Assembly if resignations of 16 MLAs are accepted. In Goa, 10 Congress legislators joined the BJP, leaving the Congress with just five MLAs.
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