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Nine Bharatiya Janata Party members were suspended on Tuesday from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the rest of the budget session for obstructing the presentation of the state's Budget for 2001-02.
The motion for suspension of the members was tabled by Legislative Affairs Minister Rohidas Patil and passed by a voice vote.
The suspended members are Girish Mahajan, Girish Bapat, Raj Purohit, Arun Adsal, Hemendra Mehta, Sahebrao Ghode, Vinay Natu, Devendra Phadnavis and Atul Shah.
As soon as the House met, the Opposition members began shouting slogans against Chief Minister Vilas Deshmukh for failing to take action against Minister of State for Health Eknath Gaikwad, whom they have accused of corruption.
The slogan-shouting continued for the first one hour of the Budget presentation.
When Finance Minister Jayant Patil started announcing the tax proposals, Speaker Arun Gujarathi told the members to resume their seats. But his pleas went unheeded.
Leader of the Opposition Narayan Rane said the Opposition was only demanding an inquiry by a retired judge into the charges against Gaikwad.
At this point, Rohidas Patil tabled the motion.
The finance minister then read out his tax proposals.
The agitated Opposition members squatted in the well in protest.
Patil, who is recovering from an accident, read out his speech from a wheelchair.
UNI
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