Opposition quits Assam assembly and calls for adjournment motion over Meghalaya’s drone investigation

Guwahati, Aug 9 (PTI) A combined opposition staged a walkout at the Assam Assembly on Monday after the president refused an adjournment motion proposed by Congress to discuss alleged encroachment attempts by neighboring Meghalaya.
Opposition parties have also expressed their displeasure at the government’s lack of response to the report of a multi-party Assembly delegation that recently visited the tense interstate border with Mizoram following violent violence. clashes on July 26 that left seven dead on the Assam side.
The chief minister not having informed the House of the discussion with his counterpart of the Meghalaya on the border dispute was also deplored by the benches of the opposition.
Congressman Nurul Huda moved the adjournment motion request at the end of Question Time.
He cited newspaper articles claiming that Meghalaya was conducting a border survey using drones in the Khanapara area of Guwahati under the Kamrup metropolitan district of Assam.
Another opposition MP, Phani Talkudar of the AIUDF, said post-investigation markings were carried out right outside his residence in Khanapara.
President Biswajit Daimary, however, refused to allow the adjournment motion.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika informed the House that the drone investigation was being carried out with permission from the Kamrup Metropolitan District authorities and that a similar exercise will also be carried out by Assam.
“I am convinced that there can be no encroachment because of this (poll),” he added.
Hazarika said the current statute of encroachment by various neighboring states was tabled in the House in response to a question posed by one of the lawmakers.
Opposition leader Debabrata Saikia and his deputy Rakibul Hussain said the minister citing a response instead of making a statement on “such a sensitive issue” is unfortunate.
Hazarika later said the government was prepared to make a statement on the issue of the Meghalaya drone investigation, and the president asked members of the opposition to stay in the House.
The combined opposition, comprising Congress, AIUDF, CPI (M) and an independent lawmaker, however, staged a walkout to protest. PTI SSG RBT RBT