GUWAHATI, March 13 � The Assam Legislative Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes followed by walk out by the Opposition members over the issue of demand for inclusion of the area which houses the residence of Assam Chief Minister in Meghalaya.
The issue was raised by Padma Hazarika (AGP) immediately after the question hour in the State Assembly today. Hazarika pointed out that a member of the Meghalaya assembly yesterday staked the neighbouring state�s claim over the Kainadhora area, which houses the official residence of Assam Chief Minister. He said that in recent days, a number of villagers also expressed their desire to shift to Meghalaya, he added and said that the State Government should take serious note of the issue.
Prasanta Phukan (BJP) also supported Hazarika and said that such demand by a Meghalaya legislator should be condemned. The other members of the Opposition benches also alleged that the State Government was not serious in protecting the state�s boundaries which encouraged the claim by a legislator of the neighbouring state.
Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain said that the Government is serious in protecting the boundaries of the state, while, Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Government is ready to discuss the issue if the Opposition members raise it through proper rules of the House.
However, not satisfied with the Government�s stand, the members of the Opposition staged a walk out.
Infiltration: AGP member Keshab Mahanta today demanded that the Government should take immediate effective steps to check infiltration of foreigners into the state.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the State Assembly, Mahanta referred to the recent arrest of nine Bangladeshi nationals in Guwahati Railway station and said that the arrests proved that foreigners are still sneaking into Assam by taking advantage of the porous international border.
In reply, Forest Minister Rickybul Hussain, who was replying on behalf of the Chief Minister, said that the nine Bangladeshi nationals arrested by Government Railway police, infiltrated into India through Dharmanagar area in Tripura and they had no valid travel documents with them. Cases against them have been registered under Passport (Entry into India) Act and they are now being questioned.
