Amid din, MP Assembly passes Bill on death penalty, life term in spurious liquor cases

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh assembly on Tuesday witnessed a ruckus created by Congress legislators demanding the implementation of the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs (Other Backward Classes) announced by the then Kamal Nath-led government, resulting in the Speaker adjourning the monsoon session of the House two days before schedule.

Amid the furore in the House, the government declared passed the MP Excise (Amendment) Bill prescribing capital punishment and life imprisonment in the cases related to deaths caused by the consumption of spurious liquor. Including the first supplementary demands for the financial year, 2021-22, six other bills were also cleared passed with the majority.

In the 230-member House, the BJP has 125 MLAs, Congress 95, BSP 2, SP 1, and 4 are independents. Three seats are currently vacant.

The Opposition's MLAs trooped into the Well of the House and raised slogans against 'inflation' and rising prices of fuel. As soon as the House convened after question hour, the Congress legislators were wearing black aprons with anti-government slogans, once again entered the Well alleging the BJP government is delaying to implement the 27 per cent quota for OBCs notified by their party's government.

Leader of Opposition Kamal Nath said the state government was adopting an anti-OBC stand by not implementing the reservation. Former Chief Minister accused that the government was choking the Democracy.

While CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan attacked Nath, and said the Congress was doing hypocrisy, deceiving the OBCs and did not do anything for their welfare."Now, Congress is doing a drama on this issue," he said. Congress MLAs, meanwhile, said the BJP government's reply in the high court shows that it was not interested in providing the reservation. The issue of providing 27 per cent reservation for OBCs is pending before the High Court of MP.

The previous Congress government had provided 27 per cent reservation to OBCs but the BJP government has failed to present its plea strongly in the HC to support this decision, they said. The monsoon session was supposed to conclude on August 12.

Later, speaking to reporters, CM Chouhan said, "the BJP government will leave no stone unturned to implement the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs."