Chaos on the First Day of Assam Legislative Assembly Hijack Flood Issue

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: An unnecessary ruckus created in the House by the ruling and the Opposition parties on the first day of the summer session of the Assam Legislative Assembly has hijacked an important discussion on floods.

Instead of creating an atmosphere conducive for a healthy discussion on the crucial issue, both the ruling and the Opposition parties engaged themselves in a blame-game that has scuttled the issue much to the dismay of the Speaker.

As soon as the Assembly began on Friday, both the Congress and the AIUDF appealed to Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami to put on hold all business of the day for a detailed discussion on floods. To that, the Speaker told the Opposition parties that he would certainly allow a discussion on the issue of floods, but that would be within the Assembly rules. Speaker told the Opposition that he would let the members of the House discuss floods after the Question Hour. “I’ll allow you to hold a discussion on floods, but before that, I’ve to complete the Question Hour,” the Speaker was heard telling the agitated Opposition members repeatedly.

However, the Congress and the AIUDF members rushed to the Speaker’s well with placards and started shouting slogans for discussion on floods before any other business of the day. When the Speaker refused to accept their plea, the Congress and the AIUDF members staged a noisy walkout to register their strong protest.

After the Question Hour, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, while stating the State government’s stand on the discussion on floods, started to attack the Congress indirectly. Patowary said, “In 2004 when there were devastating floods in Assam the Congress was the ruling party. The then Opposition members did raise a similar demand for holding a discussion on floods, but the ruling Congress never allowed any discussion. In fact, Congress is frustrated at this government’s smooth relief and rescue operations during floods in the State. By staging a walkout on an important issue like floods, the Opposition parties have diluted the issue.”

To counter Patowary, members of both the Congress and AIUDF stood on their feet and yet again created a ruckus that was enough to hijack the issue.

The Speaker then said: “This august House has a dignity of its own. The people are keeping a watchful eye on us. We shouldn’t lower the dignity of this House. I never said that I would not let the members hold a discussion on floods in detail. I just wanted to hold the discussion after the Question Hour. One passing the buck on the other is not going to solve the problem.”

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