GUWAHATI, Dec 3 - Creating a sensation, Congress� Mariani MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi today cut his palm in the State Legislative Assembly and wrote anti-government slogans with the blood to �draw the government�s attention to the status of the State�s dying industries.�
The act, however, invited the ire of Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami who immediately ordered an inquiry.
Kurmi resorted to the act a little after Question Hour at around 11.15 am at the lobby, just outside the Assembly hall. He sat on the floor and slit his palm with a blade causing a 1.5-inch deep wound.
With the blood, he then wrote at least 15 words including �... Asomiyar xonman, bhobisyot bikri koribole diya nohobo� Joi Aai Asom�.
He said he was protesting the government�s lackadaisical attitude towards the plight of the two paper mills, the Namrup fertilizer factory and some tea gardens in the State and the reported move to sell them.
�The government has been turning a deaf ear to the problems,� he said.
�Those who are working in the industries are Assamese, those who will work there will be Assamese. We had to bring it to the attention of the government,� he added.
Most of the legislators came out of the Assembly hall following the incident, resulting in a lack of quorum in the House for some time.
A medical team at the Assembly premises immediately rushed to Kurmi�s side and offered first aid. He was taken to the medical unit of the Assembly and the on-duty doctor had to administer three stitches to the wound.
Kurmi later returned to the House for rest of the proceedings.
Raising the matter in the House, ruling BJP MLA Padma Hazarika termed it a security breach and demanded an inquiry into the incident, wondering how Kurmi managed to bring the blade to the Assembly when even a fork is not allowed.
Other BJP MLAs were also on their feet insisting that it was �an attempt to suicide� which was a crime.
Intervening, Speaker Goswami said he has taken the matter �very seriously�. Assuring stern action, the Speaker later called for a meeting with the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and leaders of all parties in the Assembly at his chamber to discuss the matter.
