Opposition MLA searches 'democracy with torchlight' in Assy

Gangtok, Jul 29 (UNI) Lone Opposition member Acharya Tshering Lama today staged a walkout from the Sikkim Legislative Assembly after being denied permission to speak during the Zero hour of the second and final day of the Assembly session proceedings.

Lama, a Sangha MLA, who belongs to the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee had tried to speak during the Zero hour on the Prof B K Roy Burman Committee report.

But the Opposition MLA was cut short by Speaker D N Tarkapa who pointed out that the Assembly had already debated the Burman Committee report during its earlier sitting on June 10 and the Sangha MLA was absent on the day when the Assembly adopted the recommendations of the Burman Committee report.

When the Speaker denied permission to Acharya Lama to continue further, the Opposition MLA shouted that there is 'no democracy' in Sikkim and waved a large black cloth and moved around the House with a torch light.

'' I am searching for democracy in the House with a torch light,'' shouted Acharya Lama before storming out of the House in protest.

Later speaking to reporters, Acharya Lama said his protest in the House was prompted after being denied permission to raise several 'pertinent' issues in the House during the Zero hour.

'' Why a report discussed earlier cannot be raised again in the House? This proves that there is undeclared emergency in Sikkim. I tried to find democracy in the House with a torchlight,'' he said.

The incident today was reminiscent of a similar episode in the Assembly on September 1992 when Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, who was a just a MLA at that time had tried to 'search democracy' in the House with a candlelight.

UNI BG KK RR MIR KP1847