SHILLONG: Speaker of Meghalaya Assembly, Donkupar Roy on Friday did not allow discussion on the issue of scheduling of Khasi and Garo languages when the Chief Whip of Opposition and Congress, P.T. Sawkmie tried to raise a point of order over the issue asking for a House resolution.
Sawkmie stood up at a time when Chief Minister Conrad Sangma introduced a Bill in the House and started talking about the need to place a resolution in the House for the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong pointed to the House business schedule and said, “We are still in this item and we are yet to complete the item.”
However, Sawkmie refused to listen and said he was raising a point of order as per rule. At this point, chief minister said, “There has to be a point before you raise a point of order. Right now, the government business is going on.”
Sangma said the member (Sawkmie) must realise that the procedures of the House need to be followed and there was a time to discuss important issues.
Sawkmie pointed out that his microphone was not working prompting the Speaker Donkupar Roy to ask Sawkmie to shift to a vacant chair beside him.
He also said since there would be a rally on Saturday demanding for inclusion of Khasi language in the 8th Schedule, there was a need to raise the matter in the House on Friday.
The Speaker, however, disallowed any further discussion on the matter.