MLA performs headstand in Assembly over FIR:Congress leaders walksout from House

The Budget Session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly entered its 10th day today, witnessing dramatic scenes inside and outside the House. Congress MLA Babu Jandel from Shivpuri staged a protest by performing a headstand in the Assembly premises. He was protesting against an FIR registered against him for alleged celebratory firing during a Shivratri procession. Protest inside the house During Zero Hour, Congress MLAs Pankaj Upadhyay and party whip Sohan Valmiki raised the issue in the Assembly. However, when the Speaker said the matter would be forwarded to the concerned department, Congress legislators expressed dissatisfaction and staged a walkout. After the walkout, Babu Jandel performed a headstand in front of the Gandhi statue outside the Assembly building as a mark of protest. ‘It was a celebratory shot,’ says Jandel Jandel explained that on February 15, a religious yajna was organized in his constituency, attended by thousands of Brahmins and saints. After three days of rituals and the installation of Lord Shiva’s idol, a Shiv Baraat procession was held. He said saints and Brahmins were riding on palanquins and horses, flowers were being showered, and fireworks were being burst. Jandel, who was also on horseback, admitted that he fired one round from a traditional single-shot weapon (“chadhimar”) as a celebratory gesture. “It was just one round fired in happiness for God. I did not have an AK-47. I am not an extremist; I was the host of a religious event,” he said. ‘False cases filed against me’ Jandel alleged that false cases have repeatedly been filed against him. He claimed that an FIR was also registered against him in December when he protested over issues related to cows. He said the High Court had acquitted him in seven cases and termed all cases against him as false. He warned that if the government does not withdraw the FIR, he would launch protests at Gandhi Ashram and on the streets, adding that he is not afraid of going to jail. Other issues raised in the assembly Congress MLA and former minister Jaivardhan Singh alleged that illegal colonies are expanding under the protection of the Chief Minister and that effective action is not being taken. Responding to the allegation, Urban Administration Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said a strict law would be implemented within three months to curb illegal colonies and that strict action would be taken against violators. Several other MLAs also planned to raise issues including problems in paddy procurement due to server failures, alleged false cases against farmers in forest areas, delays in land rights for the poor, non-payment of honorarium to guest scholars, computerization of revenue records, road accidents, EV policy implementation, and fertilizer shortages.