Later, during an extended session of the Assembly, the members prevented Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi from making a statement on the issue, demanding that a full-fledged discussion precede his statement.
The Assembly witnessed an uproar even before the day’s formal proceedings could begin, with BPF legislator Pramila Rani Brahma raising the matter and demanding a discussion on it in the House. She even rushed to the well of the House, decrying the Government’s inaction even as ultras were having a field day in BTAD.
NDFB (S) extremists had shot dead Priya in full public view after dragging her to a field and forcing the local villagers to watch the gruesome murder. They also severely beat up her parents.
Brahma, while asserting that the unfortunate young girl was never an informer as alleged by the militant outfit, also wanted to know if, in the event of her being a spy, it could mean that the Government was using schoolchildren as informers.
“Priya was never an informer. And if she was, does it mean that the Government is using schoolchildren as spies?” she questioned, adding that Priya’s parents were still facing threats from the outfit.
Brahma was supported by almost all the members present, who demanded that the Speaker allow them to deliberate on the issue and relented only after the Speaker assured that the matter would be taken up at some convenient time within the day.
“This is a shocking and most heinous act of terrorism, reflecting unprecedented brutality. This needs to be condemned by all. I will request the Chief Minister to have a deliberation on the issue,” Speaker Pranab Gogoi said.
Some members including Padma Hazarika and Himanta Biswa Sarma (Congress) demanded that the recent Nagaland border violence also be discussed together, as the worsening law and order was posing a serious threat to the State.
The discussion on Priya’s killing and the recent protests and police action following the violence by Naga miscreants on the Assam-Nagaland border in Golaghat is likely to take place in the Assembly tomorrow.
However, opposition members led by BPF’s Pramila Rani Brahma, AGP’s Phani Bhushan Choudhury and Keshab Mahanta and suspended AGP legislator Padma Hazarika, rose from their seats and demanded a full-fledged discussion covering the killing as well as the recent incidents in Golaghat district.
However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nilamani Sen Deka said that the opposition members should seek such a discussion following the proper Assembly procedure and bring the motion under relevant rules.
Environment and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain said the Government was ready for a detailed discussion but requested the Opposition to first allow the Chief Minister to make his statement. He also said that the entire House must send out a collective voice concerning the recent incidents.
AGP’s Choudhury said that both the Chief Minister and the Speaker had agreed on the discussion and so there was no need for the former to make his statement first.
Following this, the Speaker asked the opposition members to seek the discussion as per rules and then adjourned the Assembly for the day.
Source: Assam Tribune
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