Guwahati: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma-MLA Akhil Gogoi heated debate rocks House

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: A heated war of words between Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and MLA Akhil Gogoi in the State Assembly during the debate on the amendment of an Act to provide land pattas to tea garden labourers today took around 20 minutes.

The heated debate led to hurling insults at each other by raising old issues like the self-immolation of Pranab Boro, the murder of Manabendra Sarma, illegal use of Kaziranga land for an orchid park, the Saradha scam, ownership of tea gardens, etc. It started when Akhil Gogoi asked the Chief Minister if he would leave the lands of 'his tea gardens' for tea workers. The Chief Minister immediately replied that he had no gardens. Terming Akhil Gogoi a so-called socialist and leader of farmers, the BJP MLAs then accused him of trying to create chaos in the house to deny tea garden workers the benefit of land pattas. The ruling MLAs alleged, "Akhil Gogoi doesn't want any amendment to this Act. Maybe, he is creating a ruckus in the interest of some tea garden owners."

Akhil Gogoi also raised issues like the Manabendra Sarma murder case, the Sarada scam, etc. To counter Akhil Gogoi, the BJP MLAs raised the issue of illegally using Kaziranga land for an orchid park, the self-immolation of Pranab Boro in front of the Assam Secretariat in an agitation led by the KMSS seeking land rights in the hillocks in Guwahati, etc. The situation put the Speaker off guard, knowing not how to bring the House in control.

The Chief Minister said, "You can hurl any abuse at me. That will only add to my votes. I'm discussing a historic amendment act regarding tea workers, and you are putting hurdles in its passage. As an MLA, you need to be sobre. You interfere in each and every issue in the House."

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