VPP chief and Nongkrem legislator Ardent M Basaiawmoit on Friday threatened to hit the street after he was unable to move a motion on the roster system during the private members business of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Unhappy with the allocation of less time to the opposition during the present budget session, the VPP President said, it is an attempt of the MDA II government to run away from responsibility.
“We would like to express our sadness when we look at the way the house is being conducted in this Assembly budget session. Over and above the allocation of time is too less. This is the shortest budget Assembly session that we have ever experienced in the state of Meghalaya,” Basaiawmoit said.
Talking to reporters after the session, he informed that the calendar for the budget session is set for seven days only where the private members business is allotted only for two days.
The decision was taken after the party legislators were not happy with the decision of the Speaker Thomas A Sangma to adjourn the House without considering time extension despite allotting only two days for the private members’ business.
Calling it a deliberate attempt on the part of the government, the opposition legislator said, “…They want to run away from the responsibility but we will not allow. If we are not allowed to participate in this august House, we are going to hit the street. In fact we don’t want to go to the street as legislators but since we are not allowed, this is a serious issue as it has affected this part of the region so we want to discuss as responsible members of the house, how do we go about this serious issue.”
He further alleged that the state Government is fully aware that there is a very important motion submitted by the opposition member.
“Infact the text that I have submitted for the motion is the urgent need to discuss and to request the Government to put on hold the implementation of the Roaster system in the state retrospectively. This is the original text that I have submitted. So the MDA Government has already instructed their MLAs to participate in a motion confined to one constituency only,” Ardent said.
VPP chief and Nongkrem legislator further said, “This is anti-people and undemocratic (done) for the first time ever in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and it is an attempt on the part of the government to run away from its responsibility.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday said the House was adjourned by the Speaker as per rule.
“…the rule book specifically mentioned that on Friday the House will function from 10 o’clock to 12 o’clock,” Sangma told reporters.