Assam Assembly Speaker apologises to public for MLAs' behaviour

Guwahati: Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary on Tuesday apologised to the people of the state for the happenings inside and outside the House on the previous day, which had resulted in "injury" to his deputy.

He ordered an inquiry by the assembly's privilege committee into the allegation of Deputy Speaker Numal Momin that he was assaulted by Congress MLA Nurul Huda and others during a protest over the conduct of a ruling BJP legislator.

Congress legislators had demonstrated inside the assembly building on Monday, blocking the corridor leading to the chambers of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, against BJP MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi, who had verbally abused and tried to physically attack the opposition benches last week.

Deputy Speaker Momin had purportedly sustained an injury on his left hand during the protest, with ruling BJP MLAs alleging that Huda had assaulted him in the corridor.

Opposition AIUDF MLAs had also entered the assembly building with bamboo fences, purportedly to save themselves from Kurmi, though they did not take the structures inside the House.

"With great pain and sorrow, I have to state certain points about the incidents that happened inside and outside the assembly yesterday," Daimary said.

He noted that the dignity of the House is of paramount importance, which is run by rules and traditions governing it.

The people elect their representatives and wait with great expectation from them to address their issues, he added.

Daimary highlighted that Assam Assembly, approaching its centenary year, has a golden past and it is the behaviour of the members that determines its sanctity.

"But the happenings of the last few days, especially yesterday during which the Deputy Speaker had to face an unprecedented situation and was injured, are unfortunate. The behaviour of the elected representatives has tarnished the image of the assembly," he said.

Underlining the role of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and panel of chairmen in running the House, Daimary maintained that blocking their chambers was unprecedented and against all rules.

He said that these events captured the spotlight on Monday, pushing the important bills and other matters that were discussed in the House to the sidelights.

"All these happened on the pretext of an unfortunate incident inside the House, even after knowing fully well that what was being done outside the House was also wrong. Just as we enter a place of worship as per stipulated rules, we must follow the same discipline while entering the assembly," he asserted.

He left it upon the MLAs to determine how justified their conduct had been and said, "I apologise to the people of the state on behalf of the members of the House. I also request you all to cooperate for the smooth running of the assembly." On the allegation of attack on the Deputy Speaker by Huda and others, Daimary recommended an inquiry by the assembly privilege committee.

The Deputy Speaker, who is the chairman of the committee, will be replaced by another member of the panel as the head of this probe to maintain impartiality.

"The committee shall submit its report in the next session of the assembly," the Speaker added. PTI SSG SSG ACD