Assam: Opposition walkout over adjournment motion denial

GUWAHATI: The Opposition on Monday staged a walkout in the legislative assembly after the Speaker refused an adjournment motion moved by Congress for discussion on alleged attempts to encroach upon the state’s land by Meghalaya.
The opposition also expressed dissatisfaction saying the state government was yet to respond to the report by an all-party delegation of the assembly that had recently visited the inter-state border with Mizoram after Mizoram Police gunned down six Assam Police personnel on July 26. Congress legislator Nurul Huda, who moved the demand for adjournment motion at the end of the Question Hour, cited newspaper reports that claimed that Meghalaya was carrying out border survey using drones in the Khanapara area of Guwahati under Kamrup (Metropolitan) district of Assam.
After Speaker Biswajit Daimary refused to allow the adjournment motion, parliamentary affairs minister Pijush Hazarika informed the House that the drone survey was being done with due permission from Kamrup (Metropolitan) district authorities and a similar exercise will be conducted by Assam as well. “I am confident there can be no encroachment due to that (survey),” he added. In reply to a question put forth by one of the legislators, Hazarika said the current status of encroachment by neighbouring states has been placed in the House. He added that the government was willing to give a statement on the issue of the drone survey by Meghalaya, and the Speaker requested the opposition members to remain in the House.
Leader of the Opposition, Debabrata Saikia, said the minister citing a reply instead of giving a statement on such a “sensitive issue” is unfortunate.