Opposition MLAs move Assam Governor, Speaker over CM's remark

* 'CM has tried to threaten the democratic institutions and the functionaries'

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A delegation of Opposition MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia has submitted memoranda to Governor Jagdish Mukhi and Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary against the Chief Minister's recent remarks on the roles of legislators in the State.

The Opposition MLAs have alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has ''tried to threaten the democratic institutions and the functionaries to work as per provisions of the Indian Constitution, on more than one occasion.''

According to the memoranda, the CM during a public meeting at Barpeta stated that the district collectors will only listen to Minister and not MLAs till his government is in place.

"The MLAs work in the Assembly and frame the laws. If we do something bad they can topple the government though cannot do so as we have a majority. The MLA does not decide what happens in BDO or SDO. It is the work of the Minister," the MLAs quoted the CM as saying.

"We all know about the primary duties of the legislature. As our living Constitution, we as elected representatives of the people represent the voters in our constituencies. As Governor of the State, the primary function of the Governor is to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law as incorporated in the Council of Ministers' Oath of Office under Article 115 of the Indian Constitution in the administration of the State affairs. The role of the Opposition is also defined in the Indian Parliamentary system. As such, the remarks made by the Chief Minister which tries to demean the Constitutional roles and duties of the Opposition is in very bad taste and we feel that such behaviour is intolerable," the memoranda stated.

"The Indian Constitution being a proviso for a Parliamentary form of democracy wherein both ruling and the Opposition party is a must. These remarks of the Chief Minister are undemocratic, unconstitutional and in violation of the provision of Indian Constitution," the MLAs underlined.

The memoranda stressed that the MLAs are members of several committees at Block Level, Circle Levels, Sub Division Levels and District Levels.

"MLAs are ex officio members of Town Committees, Municipal Boards, Municipal Corporation of their respective constituencies. MLAs are accountable to the people of their respective constituencies for development and other activities. So the CM's statement that MLA has no work outside Assembly is concocted, self-manufactured and baseless only to dissuade government officials from Opposition MLAs," the MLAs added in the memoranda.

The MLAs have urged the Governor and the Speaker to advise the CM not to pass any such comments about the Opposition in the future.

It is to be noted that the Opposition delegation that submitted the memoranda include – Congress MLAs Rakibul Hussain, Bharat Narah, and Wazed Ali Choudhury; All India United Democratic Front MLA Aminul Islam; Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar; and Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi, among others.

Also Read: Congress flays Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over remarks on MLAs

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