Revoke Bhaga Barad disqualification, Congress to assembly speaker

The Congress MLAs in Gujarat on Wednesday gave a memorandum to the speaker of Gujarat assembly, Rajendra Trivedi, seeking to revoke the disqualification of Talala MLA Bhaga Barad.

Barad was disqualified by the speaker on March 5 after a local court sentenced him to 2 years and 9 months imprisonment in an illegal mining case. The delegation of Congress MLAs, led by the leader of opposition Paresh Dhanani, told the speaker that Barad was not given the opportunity to make representation in his defence.

The opposition leader said that the sessions court had stayed the conviction order of the lower court on March 7. Dhanani, talking to media persons after the formality said, "We have all trust over the judiciary and legal system. But the disqualification of Bhaga Barad had been made with the influence of ruling party BJP in the state with the vengeance against opposition member. The speaker has the duty to protect the rights of the opposition MLA but here, in this case, his right to represent his voice also was not ensured."

"We have also given a memorandum to the governor in this reference and today we have submitted the same memorandum addressing the speaker also. The irony is that even after the session court stayed the conviction order, the by-polls for Talala assembly constituency were announced on Sunday. This is the violation of provisions under Constitution of India also," Dhanani added. The total strength of Congress members has gone down to 71 following to defection by five members and disqualification of Barad. The Congress MLAs pleaded before the speaker that the after revocation of disqualification of Barad, he should reinstate him and inform the Election Commission (EC) on that.

The Congress MLAs had reached the speaker's office shouting slogans against the decision of disqualification of Barad.