Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma arrives to attend the first day of the Autumn session of the State Assembly, in Guwahati.
Credit: PTI Photo
Opposition parties staged a walkout from the Assam Assembly on Tuesday, demanding the constitution of a House committee to enquire the allegations of illegal sale of food items meant for the public distribution system.
Almost immediately afterwards, Speaker Biswajit Daimary adjourned proceedings for 15 minutes as treasury members took to their feet, demanding an apology from Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha for raising a slogan denouncing the Assam government.
The ruckus started during a question by another Congress MLA Nurul Huda on food items available under the Food and Civil Supply Department through fair price shops.
Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister Ranjeet Dass, in his reply, said free rice of varying amounts is being provided to beneficiaries of two schemes under the National Food Security Act, 2013, through his department.
Moreover, one kg 'atta' (wheat flour) is also being provided at a minimum price to priority household card holders in 19 districts of the state, he added.
Huda and other Congress members alleged irregularities in wheat flour distribution and urged the Speaker to form a House committee to look into the matter.
As the Question Hour came to an end, Daimary moved on to the next business on the list without heeding the demand.
This led the Congress MLAs, and the lone CPI(M) and Independent legislators to stage a walkout while raising slogans in support of a House panel.
As soon as they left the House, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika and BJP MLA Prasanta Phukan stood up, claiming that Congress's Purkayastha had raised a slogan denouncing the Assam government.
They demanded that the MLA tender an apology for the words and were unrelenting even when the Speaker said that the slogan would be expunged from proceedings, leading him to adjourn the House for 15 minutes.
When the House re-convened, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rakibul Hussain of the Congress tendered the apology on behalf of Purkayastha, who was also present in the House but kept persisting with the demand for the panel to look into the allegations of 'atta' distribution.