Assam assembly adjourned twice amid ruckus by opposition members

Guwahati, March 15 (PTI): The Assam assembly was adjourned twice on Tuesday amid an “unruly” behaviour of Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi demanding the annexure of answers submitted in the House and a ruckus by members of opposition parties over alleged irregularities in construction of Anganwadi centres.

Proceedings were adjourned briefly in the Question Hour after Social Welfare Minister Ajanta Neog’s reply to a question on allotment of model Anganwadi centres in different constituencies did not satisfy opposition members.

Neog, in response to the query by AIUDF legislator Aminul Islam, said local MLAs and guardian ministers of districts have been asked to ensure corruption-free construction and functioning of the Anganwadi centres.

Unsatisfied with her comment, Congress MLAs, including Jakir Hussain Sikdar, Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha and Bharat Narah, stood up and protested.

Some of the ruling BJP MLAs got involved in a verbal duel with the opposition legislators, and several members of the Congress and other parties moved the Well of the House.

Unable to run the House, Speaker Biswajit Daimary adjourned the proceedings for 10 minutes.

Neog also said the construction of 999 model Anganwadi centres have been approved so far in the financial year 2021-22.

About half an hour after the House reassembled, Daimary once again adjourned proceedings for another 10 minutes, as he was offended by the “unruly” behaviour of Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi.

Gogoi had demanded the annexure of answers submitted in the House be provided to at least questioners.

He contended that the new practice of providing only the main part of an answer on paper and uploading the remaining portion and annexure of it on the website of the assembly inconvenienced questioners.

As Gogoi persisted with his demand, Daimary asked him to allow proceedings to continue.

The speaker said, “You should not speak by pointing a finger at the Chair and not to look for ‘kajia’ (confrontation).”

Taking umbrage at the speaker’s remark, Gogoi claimed that the ‘kajia’ was an unparliamentary word.

The MLA also alleged that Daimary was biased as the speaker of the House.

As Gogoi continued to agitate, Daimary said such behaviour by an MLA cannot be tolerated and adjourned proceedings for 10 minutes.