Assam oppn preventing indigenous Hindu MLAs from speaking in Assembly: CM

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, 29 August, attacked the opposition, claiming that a tendency has developed among them "not to allow" speeches of "Indigenous Hindu MLAs" in the Assembly.

During discussion of The Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024, Sarma also came down heavily on opposition members for interrupting a speech by his party MLA Bhuban Pegu.

"There is a new tendency in the House not to allow indigenous Hindu MLAs to speak. It's a dangerous trend. Please do not be so aggressive. After our land, now don't try to capture the Assembly," Sarma said while defending Pegu.

Pegu was making a statement mentioning old Assembly records regarding alleged migration and aggression of people from the then East Bengal into Assam.

"You cannot stop talking about Hindu-Muslim issues. These are hard realities of life. Even the census asks us to write down our religion," the chief minister said.

Talking about the Bill, which was passed by the Assembly, he said that it is about the fight of the Assamese community, which is "about to be extinct", for survival for a few more years.

"Our land in Dhubri, Goalpara, Barpeta, Darrang, Nagaon, Morigaon have gone. Now, we are struggling to survive," Sarma said.

Protesting this statement, the Congress MLA staged a walkout from the House.