Debabrata Saikia in Dispur on Wednesday. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, Feb. 1: The Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLAs today walked out of the Assam Assembly after the Speaker rejected their plea for an adjournment motion to discuss evictions in the state.

Two separate notices were moved by the legislators of the two parties for an adjournment motion to suspend all other businesses of the House to discuss the evictions carried out by the BJP-led government across the state. Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami, however, dismissed the notices after listening to both the Opposition and the government on the admissibility of the adjournment motion.

The Speaker’s decision was supported by the ruling BJP members, but the Opposition MLAs protested against the move and walked out.

Earlier, speaking for admission of the motion, leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia said the state government had violated human and constitutional rights of the evicted families as they had neither paid any compensation nor had taken any step for their rehabilitation.

Saikia claimed that indigenous people with valid land documents were also evicted.

AIUDF legislator Hafiz Bashir Ahmed Qasimi also argued in favour of admission of the motion, saying thousands of landless people were left homeless owing to the evictions.

“At some places, notices were served only a day before the eviction was carried out,” Qasimi said, demanding a detailed discussion on this issue.

Parliamentary affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said nobody should support encroachment. He said the government would continue its drive to evict encroachers.

Patowary said the Opposition can raise the issue by bringing a cut motion on supplementary demand for grant or during general discussion on the budget or during the debate on motion of thanks to the governor’s address instead of an adjournment motion. The Speaker agreed with him.

Monkey menace: AGP MLA and former transport minister Pradip Hazarika today requested the state government to take measures to control simian population to curb crop damage. Agriculture minister Atul Bora assured Hazarika that he would discuss the matter with the forest department.

PANKAJ SARMA The Telegraph