Guwahati:Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Assam Assembly for the second day in a row over the Special Category Status issue as the opposition Congress staged a brief walkout alleging partiality by the Speaker over allowing a discussion on the matter.
During Zero Hour, Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass asked state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to give a statement on media reports that the Special Category Status state tag has been withdrawn from Assam.
Congress MLA Rakibul Hussain objected to it, saying he was not allowed to raise the issue as Point of Order during Zero Hour yesterday.
“You (Speaker) did not allow us to raise the issue and asked us to bring it through a device. We have not raised the issue yet. How can a Minister answer it?” he asked.
He was joined by other Congress MLAs, who were confronted by ruling party members, leading to a noisy scene.
“The House is not running on any rule. It is being run on your (Speaker) own wish and interest. In protest, we decide to leave the House,” Hussain said before walking out with all Congress MLAs.
In the absence of the Congress members, Sarma gave his reply by saying that only the nomenclature for the spacial treatment to Assam has been changed.
“Earlier, the nomenclature was Special Category Status State and now it has been renamed as North East and Hill States. We continue to get special assistance as recommended by the 14th Finance Commission,” he added.
(Sourced from agencies, Feature image courtesy:economictimes.indiatimes.com)
