Unruly Opposition MLAs suspended from House

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Dec 7: Opposition BJP MLAs along with rebel MLAs of the Congress who recently declared their allegiance to the saffron party, were suspended from the Assembly for the rest of the five-day winter session after they created noisy scenes over the State's law and order situation.

As soon as proceedings of the session began on Monday morning, BJP legislature party leader Jadav Deka sought adjournment of the question hour for a discussion on the State's "deteriorating" law and order situation.

When Speaker Prab Kumar Gogoi did not accept the demand, saying it cannot be allowed as per rule, the BJP MLAs shouted slogans against the government and trooped into the well of the House. The nine rebel Congress legislators who recently crossed over to the BJP, also joined the anti-government protests.

The Congress MLAs also rushed to the well and countered the opposition charges by shouting back, leading to a face-off between the members for over ten minutes.

The Speaker then called in the marshals to throw out the BJP legislators and their supporters, but they left on their own.  

Senior minister Rakibul Hussain demanded action against the nine Congress MLAs, who have decided to support the BJP but are yet to formally resign from the Congress.

Later, Hussain told reporters that the Chief Minister has requested the Speaker to suspend only the nine Congress legislators who recently joined the BJP. The CM requested the Speaker to allow the other BJP legislators to attend the Assembly.

However, the Speaker said that all the BJP MLAs and their supporters who were present in the House today have been suspended for the rest of the session.

"I don't work on anybody's request. I will not allow anyone to take political mileage in the House," the Speaker said.

The BJP, however, smelt a rat in the Speaker's decision and said he was "influenced" by a section of ministers.

"The Congress is using the Assembly as their political office. The Speaker was influenced by some ministers and as such he took a one-sided decision," BJP vice president Shantanu Bharali said.