Oppn walks out of Assam Assembly after Adjournment Motion refused

Guwahati, Mar 4 (UNI) The Opposition parties today staged a walk out in the Assam Assembly after Speaker T B Rai refused to pass an Adjournment Motion sought by the former to discuss the law and order situation in the state.

The Opposition, including the main party AGP, BJP, AUDF and Left Front, had brought in an Adjournment Motion to discuss the deterioration in the law and order situation in the state.

The parties alleged that there was no security of life and property under the present government.

The government's disinterest in pursuing peace talks with the militant outfits, especially ULFA, has resulted in violence and instability in the state, they alleged.

Leader of the Opposition Chandra Mohan Patowary, AUDF MLA Dr A Langthasa and CPI(M) legislator Ananta Deka were among the Opposition members who spoke for admitting the Motion.

Congress Minister Rockybul Hussain, replying to the allegations of the Opposition, claimed that the prevailing law and order situation was better than that during the AGP regime.

He also urged the Opposition members to refrain from projecting a negative image of the state, adding that the present scenario was ''not as frightful as depicted by the Opposition'', while arguing the need to bring in the Adjournment Motion.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bharat Narah pointed out that rules of the Assembly did not usually permit an Adjournment Motion during budgetary discussions and discussion on the Motion of Thanks and the Governor's speech.

The Governor had presented his speech yesterday and three days, including today, had been fixed for discussion on the Motion of Thanks.

The Speaker refusing to permit the Adjournment Motion, said the Opposition could bring in the law and order situation issue during discussion on the Governor's speech and Motion of Thanks as well as during other discussion in the month-long budget session.

''The issue raised by the Opposition is important but it does not merit an Adjournment Motion in the current circumstances as they would get ample scope during the session to raise the issues during general discussions,'' he said.

The Opposition parties, peeved at the refusal for the Adjournment Motion, staged a walk out from the Assembly.

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