SHILLONG, March 20: The first session of the newly elected Assembly got off to a jarring start with opposition VPP raising a heckle over Governor Phagu Chauhan’s customary address in the House in Hindi.
VPP president Ardent M. Basaiawmoit who led the charge caught the ruling side off guard.
Though Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Speaker Thomas A. Sangma tried to explain that the English version was already circulated to all members, it was not sufficient to stop the four VPP MLAs from walking out.
The stunning development evoked a wide range of reactions with Cabinet Minister and NPP MLA, Ampareen Lyngdoh demanding that Delhi should not impose governors who cannot gel due to lack of language proficiency.
She made it clear that it is necessary to communicate to the Centre the inability of citizens of the state to speak or understand Hindi.
“I am happy that it was highlighted once again. We need to be consistent about it. We need to make sure Government of India knows that the people of Meghalaya do not understand Hindi. In fact, we were having some difficulty following the language that was spoken even though the written speech was given to us,” Lyngdoh said.
Asked why she did not object when the matter was brought before the Cabinet, she said it was not a matter for the Cabinet to pursue. “There is a language barrier. The Governor cannot speak any other language but Hindi and what was done was done,” she added.
When reminded that she had staged a walkout in 2018, she defended herself, saying “roles have changed and it is not unusual”.
Asked if it is an attempt to impose the Hindi language, she refused to respond, saying, “The Opposition raised it. Leave it at that.”
The reaction of the Voice of the People Party (VPP) was much more pronounced with the four MLAs of the party staging a walkout in protest against the Governor’s address in Hindi.
VPP president, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit stood up in protest after the Governor began his address in Hindi.
“We protest this kind of imposition from Delhi of sending a Hindi-speaking Governor to us. We don’t understand what he is talking…so we are staging a walkout,” Basaiawmoit said.
He further stated that Rule 28 of the Rules and Procedure of Conduct of Business of the Assembly clearly mentions that the business in the Assembly shall be transacted in English.
“Meghalaya is not a Hindi-speaking state. The people and leaders of the state decided to part ways with Assam because it tried to impose Assamese as an official language,” the VPP president said.
He further stated that they will shout slogans if the Governor addresses the House in Hindi.
“This is against the sentiments of the people of the state. We will not allow this to become a tradition of governors addressing the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly in Hindi,” Basaiawmoit said.
Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma intervened, saying that this kind of behaviour is not expected from an elected member.
“The rules are very clear that if he is not able to read English in the House then we cannot impose on the individual. The written speech has been circulated in the House,” Sangma said.
Assembly Speaker, Thomas A. Sangma said that the Governor has certain limitations and he will allow him to speak in Hindi. “The translated version of the speech was circulated. I request the members to kindly bear and maintain the decorum of the House. I would request the members to listen and not to shout while the Governor is reading the address,” the Speaker said.
It may be recalled that during the Budget session in 2018, Congress legislators had staged a protest when the then Governor, Ganga Prasad gave his customary address in Hindi.
The Congress legislators had accused the then Governor of trying to popularise the concept of “one nation, one culture, one language”.
Former Congress legislator, Ampareen Lyngdoh had staged a walkout during the Governor’s address in protest against the latter’s address in Hindi.