Shillong, Sep 3: Senior Congress leader Mukul Sangma said the resolution moved by the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) seeking the removal of Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh from his office was a conscious decision.
“The details of the resolution against the Assembly Speaker will be discussed on the floor of the House during the upcoming autumn session. We will submit our stand to justify our decision of moving the resolution asking the Speaker to vacate his office,” Sangma told reporters after a meeting of the CLP on Friday.
The House session begins on September 10.
According to Dr Sangma, the CLP has already submitted the petition of the resolution before the Assembly Secretariat as per the rules of Conduct of Business and consistent with the relevant provisions of the Constitution of India.
He said if the Speaker admits the resolution, Congress will raise issues to draw the attention of every member. The former Chief Minister said Congress expects the state government to respond to the issues which will be raised by the Opposition during the session.
“We are hopeful that we will be able to articulate the concerns which are there before the people of the state. We will see how the discussions in the House unfold and how the government responds,” Dr Sangma said.
The petition against the Speaker was signed by Congress legislators Zenith Manda Sangma, George B. Lyngdoh, Kimfa S. Marbaniang and Himalaya Muktan Shangpliang. It was submitted to the Assembly Secretariat on Thursday.
When asked as to why the Opposition is not moving a no-confidence motion against the government, Dr Sangma said it does not require a long notice and can be taken up even at the eleventh hour.
He said the resolution on the Speaker’s removal will need a minimum of 14-day notice. This is precisely the reason why the petition
was submitted ahead of the commencement of the session.
Dr Sangma said it is the Opposition’s responsibility to stand up collectively to protect the interest of the people and the state.
“As the members of Opposition, our role is to draw the attention of the government for course correction,” he said, adding there are a number of issues which the Congress will take up during the session.
UDP demands reasons for move against Lyngdoh
UDP chief adviser Bindo Mathew Lanong said the Congress should spell out the reasons for moving a resolution for the Speaker’s removal.
“The Congress will need to have a genuine ground for the move. We will like to know what he has done in the House to warrant this resolution,” he said.
Lanong said an Assembly Speaker is expected to remain non-partisan but no one will be ready to accept the post if he or she is not allowed to indulge in politics in his or her respective constituency.
“A Speaker belongs to a political party even in the Lok Sabha. They (Speakers) will have to ensure that they remain neutral to all the members either in Parliament or in the Assembly,” the UDP leader said.
He said Lyngdoh the Speaker, who belonged to the Congress party in the past, had indulged in politics while presiding over the House.
“This is the open secret,” Lanong said, refusing to comment further on this matter.
