GUWAHATI: While finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was delivering his budget speech, opposition Congress stopped him midway alleging that his speech had already been 'leaked out' hours ago on the finance department's official website.
Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami said that he had come to know about it but it is the tax proposals that have to be kept secret. "I have taken note of your concern and we will discuss it later. But now the minister should be allowed to read out his speech," Goswami told leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia.
Saikia said, "The state government is now engaging in a damage-control exercise. But the question arises as to how much confidence people can repose in a government which cannot protect the secrecy of such an important document," he said.
He added that MN Kaul and SL Shakdher have cited in 'Practice and Procedure of Parliament': "The prevailing view is that until the financial proposals are placed before the House, they are an official secret... Though the leakage of the budget proposals may not constitute a breach of privilege of the House, Parliament has ample power to inquire into the conduct of a Minister in suitable proceedings in relation to the leakage and the circumstances in which the leakage occurred."
Saikia said, "In view of this clear message regarding ministerial responsibility and accountability, it is unfortunate that chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was present in the House today, did not attach any importance to this serious issue. On behalf of the Assam Congress, I demand an inquiry by an all-party House Committee into the budget getting leaked and the said committee should be empowered to recommend measures against those found responsible for this lapse."
Himanta in response said, "The tax proposals were cleared by cabinet just an hour before I presented the budget. The development part of the budget which was in my speech was on the finance department's website. If something good about development is made known to people hours before, there is nothing wrong with it."
Congress then walked out of the House in protest.
Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami said that he had come to know about it but it is the tax proposals that have to be kept secret. "I have taken note of your concern and we will discuss it later. But now the minister should be allowed to read out his speech," Goswami told leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia.
Saikia said, "The state government is now engaging in a damage-control exercise. But the question arises as to how much confidence people can repose in a government which cannot protect the secrecy of such an important document," he said.
He added that MN Kaul and SL Shakdher have cited in 'Practice and Procedure of Parliament': "The prevailing view is that until the financial proposals are placed before the House, they are an official secret... Though the leakage of the budget proposals may not constitute a breach of privilege of the House, Parliament has ample power to inquire into the conduct of a Minister in suitable proceedings in relation to the leakage and the circumstances in which the leakage occurred."
Saikia said, "In view of this clear message regarding ministerial responsibility and accountability, it is unfortunate that chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was present in the House today, did not attach any importance to this serious issue. On behalf of the Assam Congress, I demand an inquiry by an all-party House Committee into the budget getting leaked and the said committee should be empowered to recommend measures against those found responsible for this lapse."
Himanta in response said, "The tax proposals were cleared by cabinet just an hour before I presented the budget. The development part of the budget which was in my speech was on the finance department's website. If something good about development is made known to people hours before, there is nothing wrong with it."
Congress then walked out of the House in protest.
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