As many as 19 Congress legislators, including Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma, were suspended from the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Tuesday for 'violating' House rules.
The Congress and members of the Nationalist Congress Party attempted to move an adjournment motion on the Dantewada jailbreak incident, immediately after the Question Hour, stating that it was the biggest ever jailbreak in the world where 300 inmates, including 105 Naxals, had escaped on December 16.
The opposition members accused the jail officials of laxity in security arrangements, resulting in the escape of 300 inmates of the district jail, and demanded the resignation of state Home and Jail Minister Ram Vichar Netam.
Netam said action had been taken against the erring officials and termed the allegations of the opposition as baseless.
Following this, the Chair asked the Opposition to put forth their arguments for acceptance of the motion. However, they opposed it and pressed for discussion on the adjournment motion and not on its merit for acceptance.
While raising anti-government slogans, they entered the well of the House along with NCP member Novel Verma.
Chhattisgarh House rule says that anyone entering the well of the House would be automatically suspended. Following this, Deputy Speaker Badirdhar Diwan suspended the 19 Congress MLAs.