Walkout by Congress, AIUDF members in Assam House

The budget session of Assam

Assembly began on a stormy note on Monday with Congress and AIUDF members staging a walkout after the Speaker reserved his decision on allowing an adjournment motion over the government's role in the santi-CAA movement.

When MLAs of the two opposition parties trooped to the Well of the House raising slogans, BJP members too reached there and shouted counter slogans against the two parties.

MLAs of the two sides almost came to blows forcing Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary to intervene and made the BJP members return to their seats.

Congress and All Indian United Democratic Front (AIUDF) members then staged a walkout.

 

After the Question Hour, Assam Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami allowed Hafiz Bashir Ahmed of the AIUDF and Congress' Debabrata Saikia to speak about the admissibility of two adjournment motions.

"As per the Constitution's Article 19, protest is a fundamental right, but the government has taken some steps to curtail peoples' freedom of expression and the right to protest. When a fundamental right is violated, it must be addressed urgently," Ahmed said.

He said now there is a trend to brand protesters as anti-nationals and the "government is doing it for political gains".

Saikia also cited rulings of various high courts of the country legitimising the right to protest.

From the government side, Patowary said there is no need to adjourn all proceedings of the House and discuss this issue as other methods are there to raise the topic.

"Also, the police force is responsible for maintaining law and order. They cannot be a subject of an adjournment motion. Besides, several petitions related to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act are pending in the Supreme Court. So, it is a sub-judice matter," he added.

On this, Saikia said the motion of the Congress did not have anything to do with the CAA and it was related to the government's role in suppressing a democratic movement by people.

"It is about the violation of democratic rights. Five persons were killed without any provocation. No tear gas, no lathicharge, no rubber bullets were used, but they were killed in firing. We need to discuss that," he added.

Listening to both sides, the Speaker said, "There are some points which I need to read. I will verify both the notices and I reserve my ruling for tomorrow."

Reacting sharply to this, both Congress and AIUDF members started shouting slogans, and came to the Well of the House. They were also carrying placards.

BJP MLAs too followed them and raised slogans against the opposition parties.

The Speaker repeatedly requested the BJP members to go back to their seats but the ruling party members paid no heed to that.

When the BJP members returned to their seats on request from Patowary, Congress and AIUDF MLAs staged a walkout and did not return to the House for the rest of the day.

"Even if I allow the adjournment motion, it will not be today. I will fix a date for this. There are points that I need to evaluate. So, I am taking time," Goswami said.