Despite his verbal apology, a veteran Congress MLA and former UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal was punished by Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani on Tuesday for using abusive words and threatening Chairperson Sandeep Sharma during a debate on UDH grant on 26 July.

“The member (Dhariwal) will be allowed to sit in the House but he would not be allowed to participate in the proceedings of the House for next two days, the Speaker ordered after hearing the views and opinions of members cutting across the party lines including that of Parliamentary Minister Jogaram Patel and Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg.

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“I wanted that kind of conduct you had, you did not deserve to be a member of the house for four years. I took the decision after the request and apology of the members of your party (Congress),” Devnani strictly said.

The speaker further said, “The way the conduct was done it caused a great harm to the dignity of the House, you have no idea, when this matter went to the media, what dignity was left of this House? This cannot be tolerated. From now on, you are warned to maintain good conduct. Any action that hurts the dignity of the House cannot be tolerated”.

While admitting his apology to the House, Dhariwal said, “I have been winning for 40 years, I have always considered this chair as supreme. I have no intention of insulting the chair. When Sandeep Sharma sat on the chair of the Speaker for the first time, he was the only person in this entire House who said that he is the happiest today that he is sitting here. As far as Sandeep Sharma is concerned, he is my son’s friend. There is always laughter and jokes. Whenever we meet, we talk about light-hearted things”.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully and Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasara apologized in the House for Dhariwal’s abusive language.

Dhariwal is MLA from Kota North, and whereas BJP MLA Sharma from Kota-South and they are good family friends.