GUWAHATI, Dec 16 � Members of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) moved an adjournment motion on the law-and-order situation in the State on the first day of the winter session of the Assam Legislative Assembly today. However, Assembly Speaker Pranab Gogoi reserved his ruling on the motion.
Speaking on the admissibility of the motion, Phani Bhushan Choudhury (AGP) said that the law-and-order situation in the State had deteriorated and the Government failed to give protection to life and property of the people. He said that the deterioration in the situation forced the Central Government to extend the term of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act by another year, while the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh also expressed concern over the deteriorating situation while addressing a meeting of the heads of the police forces of the states. He also criticized the Government for the killing of schoolchildren in anti-insurgency operations and demanded that the House should admit the motion to discuss the situation in the State.
Monoranjan Das (BJP) alleged that the situation in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) was deteriorating and even school teachers are forced to pay �tax� to the militants.
Padma Hazarika (AGP) said that the law-and-order situation in Assam had become a matter of serious concern and warned that if timely steps were not taken, the possibility of the situation deteriorating further could not be ruled out. He said that the Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) was creating havoc in Sonitpur district and the outfit even issued warning to two legislators of Sonitpur and one of Lakhimpur.
However, the Speaker reserved his ruling on the motion and directed the Government to give a statement on the law-and-order situation tomorrow. He said that a decision on the motion would be taken after hearing the statement of the Government.
