NPF Legislature Party has expressed disappointment and criticized the NLA speaker for “failing to apply his wisdom and keep the August House in order” during the recently concluded Assembly session. NPF alleged that the speaker was rather remotely controlled, which led to mismanagement of the decorum of the House.
During the meeting held at the residence of the leader of opposition (LoP) in Dimapur on October 6, to review the proceedings of the 2nd Assembly session, NPF LoP’s information & publicity wing said that the legislators deliberated on the issue where the speaker denied ample time for the question hour.
As item no.1 of the business list of the day was obituary reference and item no.2 was Question Hour, NPF said that the leader of the house took about 37 minutes for obituary reference and leader of the opposition another 15 minutes for the same. However, as per Rule No. 30 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in NLA, NPF said that the Question Hour was to be allotted 1 hour. However, NPF claimed that the speaker permitted only 8 minutes, since the latter clubbed item no.1 and item no.2. “This is nothing but intentional shying away from their responsibility to answer the questions raised by the opposition bench,” the opposition party stated.
NPF further pointed out that the conduct of the officials of the Assembly secretariat was also not aboveboard while tendering advice and guidance to the Speaker. It said that the NPF members were of the view that such differential attitude towards the opposition should not be repeated in the future so that the dignity of the August House was upheld in right spirit.
The party also alleged that many starred questions put up by NPF members were also omitted. Out of 50 starred questions put forward, only 28 were accepted and listed, it said, adding while some of the un-starred questions were also not provided answers according to the questions.
NPF said that specific supplementary questions raised by the members were left unanswered by the minister in-charge, including the leader of the house. Questions like– Why the government did not file an affidavit to counter the claim of Civil Engineers Enterprise Pvt. Ltd. (CEEPL)? Why the State government did not challenge to vacate the stay order? etc. were raised. However, NPF said that the leader of the house gave only the excuse that, all the advocates in Kolkata were “purchasable” by Ghosal & Co. Despite making such un-parliamentary statement, undermining the integrity of the legal community in West Bengal, NPF said the speaker neither expunged the remark nor took appropriate action taken.
On the issue of the Citizenship Bill 2016 and the Brahmaputra Board, which was listed for the second day of the session, NPF alleged that the speaker arbitrarily omitted it, citing reason that it was not a State subject but a Central subject. NPF opined that such erroneous judgment was unprecedented and must be avoided in future. It said these issues were not only a matter for the elected members but encompasses the future of each and every citizen of the state in general and the Nagas in particular.
Further, NPF legislature party said it was “utterly amused and disgusted by the pack of lies” contained in the statement issued by NDPP media and communications committee on October 4.
Asserting that the members were firm and steadfast in their support and loyalty to the legislature party leader, T.R. Zeliang and NPF president, Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu, the NPF said there was no misgivings and that the unity and cohesion of the party at any given time was unparalleled in terms of decision making as well as navigation of leadership.
NPF rather said that the futile exercise of the NDPP, coveting to create division in the NPF, will have the most agonizing and bitterest experience in the end.
Meanwhile, NPF legislature party said it appreciated the speaker and expressed happiness for accepting the proposal of the leader of opposition T.R. Zeliang, during the 1st session of the 13th NLA, to reconstitute the Joint Legislature Forum (JLF) on the Naga Political Issue.