Speaker declines to discuss price hike; Opposition stage walkout in Assam assembly

Guwahati: The entire opposition staged a walkout after the Speaker refused to allow a discussion on the rising price of fuel and other essential commodities on the first day of the Budget session of the Assam Assembly. Speaker Biswajit Daimary declined the three adjournment motions by Congress, AIUDF and CPI(M) to discuss rising prices claiming that the subject is not under the state government, thereby causing an uproar in the House. The Opposition members accused the speaker of not accepting the grievances of non-ruling parties as per assembly traditions.

"Why is price rise not an issue of the state government? It affects all the people of the state," Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi said. CM Himanta Biswa Sarma retorted, asking under which rule the Speaker must allow discussion on the admissibility of an adjournment motion.

"It is the tradition of the House. And before talking on the admissibility of the topic, how can the Speaker cancel the notices even before hearing them?" Congress MLA Rakibul Hussain asked. Daimary allowed the opposition to talk about the admissibility of the notices and said that the matter would be discussed in the next meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the Assembly after the House turned noisy.

Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia said that the price of petrol and diesel has increased 71 times since January 2021 when an estimated 2.5 crore have lost their jobs since the onset of the pandemic.

"It is a definite and urgent matter as required by the Assembly rule to discuss a topic under adjournment motion. Price of every item is rising on daily basis and the poor people are affected due to this," AIUDF's Aminul Islam said.

"The state's policies also affect prices of petrol and diesel. Also, the prices of essential commodities are rising rapidly. The public life has become miserable," said CPI(M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar while adding that the Assam government has levied a huge tax on fuel despite the Centre asking the states to cut it.

However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika put forth the government's side saying, "As per Rule 57, this topic is not admissible in the Assembly under the adjournment motion. Regarding the price rise of essential commodities, that can be raised through other devices."

After the speaker turned down the three notices, the opposition protested and came to the Well of the House with placards bearing slogans on price rise and staged a walkout.

"If we are not allowed to talk on price rise, then it is a very, very serious issue. It is very wrong," Gogoi added.