Protesting against the Governor Phagu Chauhan addressing the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly in Hindi, the legislators of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Monday staged a walkout.
“So through you Sir may I inform the Governor that Meghalaya is not a Hindi speaking state. I would also like to remind each of us that the people and leaders of the state decided to part ways with Assam because the Assam government tried to impose Assamese as an official language. Sir, I feel we should not allow this to become a tradition in this august House,” he said.
Not satisfied with the ruling of the Speaker, the VPP leader shouted slogans “down down, we condemn the governor for addressing us in the language that we don’t understand.”
Accordingly, Basaiawmoit and three other legislators of the party staged a walkout as a mark of protest.
Expressing concern at the behaviour of the opposition members, chief minister Conrad K Sangma said since the Governor cannot read in English, translated speech has been circulated in the House as per rule and that there is no reason for the members to protest.
Later Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Speaker Thomas.A.Sangma expunged that particular part of the proceedings.
Talking to reporters, Basaiawmoit, while clarifying his action said, “We cannot allow this kind of imposition from Delhi that we have to listen or speak Hindi. It may be a translated copy but the rules says clearly it cannot be transacted, we don’t understand, if they feel that the translated version has been given then what’s the point of addressing… tell him not to come we have already circulated the address in English. What is the point of addressing?”
Stating that the four legislators of VPP have vehemently protest the language being used in the address of the Governor, he said according to the rule it is mentioned very clearly that the language being used in the Assembly should be in English.
“We are not a Hindi speaking state, so we are not expected the Government of India to send Hindi speaking Governor to us because we cannot communicate, it is an insult to us,” he said.
Reminding the people about the statehood movement, the VPP leader said, “…..the attempt on the part of the Assam Government is to impose Assamese as an official language. That was the main reason that made people and the leaders to fight for the statehood; we got our state of our own because of that issue.”
“We want that this tradition should be stopped , should not allow to continue where the Governor’s address will be in Hindi. Alteast respect us the majority,” he added.