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Opp stalls House over corruption

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 2 � The opposition members today stalled the proceedings of the Assam Legislative Assembly with noisy protests on the issue of corruption, forcing the Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai to adjourn the House thrice, the last time for the entire day.

As soon as the House assembled for the day at 9 am, Leader of the Opposition Prafulla Kumar Mahanta demanded that the Ministers suspected to be involved in the financial scam in North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council should be removed in the interest of impartial probe and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should be entrusted with the responsibility of probing into all the financial irregularities in the Council.

However, the Speaker requested the Opposition members to allow the Question Hour to continue. But the Opposition members demanded that their demand should be fulfilled first before the House starts transacting normal business and all the Opposition members jumped to their feet to start vociferous protests. The Opposition members pointed out that the speech of the Governor did not mention the issue of corruption at all. Dr Kamala Kalita (AGP) alleged that the Speaker, with his action, was indirectly supporting corruption, while, Ananta Deka (CPM) said that the Government remained silent after a special audit by the Accountant General revealed large scale corruption in NC Hills. The Opposition members also started slogans displaying placards, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House at 9. 10 am and the Question Hour passed without transacting any business.

As soon as the House re-assembled at 10 am, the Opposition members continued their protests and the House was adjourned for the second time for half an hour. Similar situation continued as the House re-assembled for the third time and the Opposition members demanded that they did not want any more discussion on corruption and they only wanted action from the Government on their demands.

As the Opposition members did not raise their call attention motions, the Speaker asked Binanda Saikia (Congress) to start the discussion on the motion of thanks on the Governor�s address amidst slogan shouting and thumping of desks by the Opposition members. Saikia continued and finished his speech but nothing could be heard in the din and finally the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.

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