Denied entry in Maharashtra council despite valid pass: Kanhaiya Kumar

Mumbai: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar on Tuesday claimed he was denied entry to the Maharashtra Legislative Council despite having a valid pass.

"I wanted to see the discussion over separate statehood for Vidarbha in the Legislative Council and the time allotted to me was between 12 and 1 pm. Despite reaching at about 12.20 pm, the security guards kept dilly dallying and did not allow me to enter within the stipulated time," he told reporters.

He described the incident as a "fall of democracy" and claimed that the BJP-led government was "anti-citizen."

Meanwhile, despite Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' assurance to the Assembly that there was no proposal before the state government for a separate statehood for Vidarbha, Opposition parties in the Council refused to let the House function and demanded that the CM propose an "Akhand Maharashtra" resolution.

Panel Chairman Neelam Gorhe then directed the House leader Chandrakant Patil to ask the chief minister to make a statement in the Council as well.

Earlier in the day, Mr Fadnavis told the state Assembly that he was the Chief Minister of "Akhand Maharashtra" adding it was not right to discuss an issue which is not pending before the House.