Dear friends:
Who says that our legislators are dumb? I find that they are vibrant and vociferous, if not eloquent, and do what they can. Of course I agree that they can do more. I copy a news from the Sentinel today (28 03 2012) which depicts a very graphic scenario inside the chamber. -bhuban ‘Unparliamentary’ words lead to Assembly bedlam In the past few days I have noticed that you keep croaking like crows on most issues. If you continue doing so, how will the proceedings of the House progress? — Speaker Pranab Gogoi to AIUDF legislators By our Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, March 27: The use of “unparliamentary words” by Speaker Pranab Kumar Gogoi created an unpleasant situation in the Assembly on Tuesday with the Opposition staging a walkout and demanding that the words be expunged. The Speaker told legislators of the AIUDF, the main Opposition party in the Assembly, that they should not croak like crows on most issues. Pandemonium broke loose in the House following the utterance of these words by the Speaker. AIUDF legislators claimed that the Speaker had lowered the sanctity of the House by uttering “unparliamentary” words. They demanded that the words used should be expunged from the records. With the Speaker digging in his heels and refusing to expunge the words, more noisy scenes were witnessed, with even the AGP and BJP legislators joining the AIUDF legislators in demanding that the words be expunged. The proceedings of the House came to a standstill. The AIUDF MLAs trooped into the well of the House. Following this, Speaker Pranab Gogoi expelled all AIUDF MLAs for the day and warned them that if they continued with their demand, he would take more stern action against them. Justifying his comment, the Speaker told the AIUDF MLAs that they deserved such words. This prompted the AGP and BJP MLAs to stage a walkout. Later, the Opposition MLAs wrote to the Speaker that unless the “unparliamentary words” were expunged from the Assembly records, they would boycott the proceedings of the House. State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nilomoni Sen Deka, while talking to mediapersons outside the House, said: “The Speaker simply asked the AIUDF MLAs not to croak like crows. There was no reason for such hue and cry over this comment. In the past too Speakers have used such examples. There is nothing offensive in such comments.” Earlier, during Question Hour, AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam raised the issue of compensation to erosion affected people in the State. He said that the government had two different policies so far as giving compensation to erosion affected people was concerned. “For people in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts, the government gives Rs 25,000 as compensation to each family. But people in Lower Assam get only Rs 5,000 as compensation. Why this disparity?” State Revenue Minister Prithvi Majhi said that the government gave compensation based on the extent of erosion. “Previous government never gave any compensation. At least we are giving compensation to erosion affected people,” said Majhi. His reply failed to satisfy the AIUDF MLA. He said, “During every Assembly session the government assures that measures would be taken for the rehabilitation of the erosion affected people. However, we have not seen any concrete steps being taken so far. Moreover, there is disparity in the compensation given to the people.” Responding to this, Speaker Pranab Gogoi told the AIUDF MLAs, “In the past few days I have noticed that you keep croaking like crows on most issues. If you continue doing so, how will the proceedings of the House progress?” Talking to mediapersons outside the House, AGP legislature party leader Phani Bhushan Choudhury and chief whip Keshab Mahanta said, “The reply which Revenue Minister Prithvi Majhi gave in the House today was not at all satisfactory. His reply seemed to belittle the problem of erosion which has affected the lives of lakhs and lakhs of people in Assam. Even today erosion affected people are living on river embankments. The problem of erosion is a serious and major one.” On the Speaker’s comments, the two AGP MLAs said, “The Speaker’s comments have hurt the Opposition. We will boycott the proceedings of the House till the words are expunged.” BJP legislature party leader Prasanta Phukan, while reflecting similar views, said, “A legislator is the representative of lakhs of people in his constituency. Ever legislator deserves respect. In the House the ruling of the Speaker is final but the comparison with crows is unparliamentary. The Opposition is united in its stand. Till the unparliamentary remarks are expunged, we will boycott the proceedings of the House. _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
