The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has threatened to hit the streets after Assembly Speaker Thomas Sangma disallowed a motion on roster system.
VPP president and MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said since it was disallowed in the House, the party has no other option than to agitate. He said the allocation of time for the private members’ business was too less during the budget session.
According to an Assembly official, the Speaker adjourned the House at 12 pm being Friday as per the convention and following the rule of the House.
However, the VPP chief said that the Speaker should have considered time extension. “If we are not allowed to participate in this august House, we are going to hit the street since this is a serious issue as it has affected this part of the region. This is anti-people and undemocratic for the first time ever in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and it is an attempt on the part of the government to run away from its responsibility,” he said.
When pointed out that the roster system is following a court order, Basaiawmoit said the government is selective in implementing the court order.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the House was adjourned by the Speaker as per rule. “Some of the opposition stressed on the rules many times and said rules should be followed and that is exactly what the Speaker is doing. He is going as per the rules, as per the business advisory committee (BAC)’s decision and all the points have been mentioned based on that,” he said.
He said there can be many other ways for the opposition to speak about the issue.
“There is the debate on the Governor’s Address, there is the budget discussion, there can be special motions, there can be short discussion – so many options are there. Therefore, the members are free to raise any issue any time. All the issues that have ever been brought up, we have always discussed the matters, we have never shied away from anything and in the future also we will never shy away from any of the issues”, he said.
