Arunachal Speaker impeached

Cong slams Governor J P Rajkhowa and BJP

Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Naban Rebia was on Wednesday impeached by a voice vote marking the climax of the week-long tussle between the Congress government, Governor J P Rajkhowa and 21 rebel Congress MLAs over the impeachment notice.

Thirty-three MLAs (in 60-member House) supported the impeachment motion brought by Leader of the Opposition Tamiyo Taga in the Assembly session which was held in a community hall chaired by Deputy Speaker T N Thangdok after the gate of the Assembly building was found ‘locked’.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Naban Tuki met Rajkhowa requesting him to recall his order of December 9 to bring the winter session of the Assembly ahead from January 14 to December 16 and make the notice for impeachment of the speaker the first business agenda in the session.

When the governor turned down his request, the CM and his council of ministers decided not to attend the Assembly session claiming the governor had called the session bypassing all constitutional rules and procedures. Later in the day, Speaker Rebia disqualified 14 Congress MLAs, all from the rebel camp who want Tuki to be removed, on grounds of defection.  Thongdok was also disqualified.

Dissidents hit back

Dissidents soon swung into action. On Tuesday night, Thongdok, also a member of the rebel camp, who was instructed by the governor in his December 9 order to preside over the session, issued a fresh notification which said the Assembly session would be held as scheduled from December 16-18. It also termed the media release by Rebia announcing no session on December 16 as ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘illegal’.

“As Rebia faces the impeachment motion, the governor empowered the deputy speaker for conduct of the Assembly proceedings. The speaker, who himself faces the resolution for his removal, is completely incapacitated from issuing any orders that disqualifies other MLAs,” the notification from the deputy speaker’s office said.

On Wednesday morning, the deputy speaker along with 20 rebel Congress MLAs, 11 BJP MLAs and two Independent MLAs came to the Assembly only to find it ‘locked’. Within hours, a session was held at Techi Takar Community Hall in Naharlagun, with intimation to the governor. After the session began, the resolution was passed. Rebia later claimed that he still remains the speaker.