By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 20: Assembly Speaker, Thomas A Sangma on Wednesday expunged the statement made by former chief minister, Mukul M Sangma accusing Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma of having close links with an alleged drug kingpin from Mizoram who had been arrested 10 years back.
The Speaker took the decision after Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Parliamentary Affairs, Prestone Tynsong raised a point of order demanding the removal of the former CM’s statement.
The Speaker said the Meghalaya Assembly is known for its reputation to be a very disciplined House in the entire country.
“Let us not engage in calling names and making allegations without substantiated evidence,” he said.
Stating that he has examined the matter, he said rule 279A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Meghalaya Legislative Assembly says that a member shall not make any personal charge against another member.
“Rule 304 gives the Speaker the power to expunge the statement made by any member from the proceeding. Therefore, in the exercise of power under Rule 304 of the above, I expunge the statement made by Dr Mukul Sangma from the proceeding as it violates Rule 279A,” he said.
The Speaker further said that the speech made by Mukul Sangma on the matter and unsubstantiated allegations against the Chief Minister will not be part of the proceedings of the House on September 19.
Earlier, Tynsong said that during the course of the discussion, the former CM had on his mobile phone a picture of the Chief Minister with a so-called convicted person.
“I would like to request the Speaker that the statement made yesterday by Dr Sangma during the discussion on the motion should be expunged. The proceeding of the House is reflective of the submission made by him yesterday,” he said.
Reacting to this, the former CM said Tynsong appeared to have misinterpreted the basic content of the submission and said the news on the alleged accused figured in the national media.
“I made no allegation that any substantive crime has been committed by referring to what was reflected in the photograph. I made my submission saying that we have to be careful and cautious about who we are associated with while we occupy an office of authority or position,” the senior TMC legislator said.
The former CM further said that he made his submission for disassociating from people whose antecedents one may not be aware of.
“It is up to the office of the CM to put them on the scanner. Why is the government so desperately sweating it out to defend it? It is not an allegation but a submission urging the CM to be careful about being associated with such people,” he said.
Tynsong said he (Dr Sangma) mentioned that the person in the photo with the CM was an alleged accused and not convicted.
“When we discuss any issues inside the House we need to restrain from this kind of reference. Let us be guided by the book,” he said.
The former CM said the photograph he referred to was official and posted on the social media page of the Delhi event organiser.
“A sitting arrangement was made in the front row by the organiser. It is not that somebody has taken a selfie. Yes, we are public figures and we end up getting requests to take selfies and photographs. But I referred to this picture, which was disturbing in view of the unprecedented availability of drugs in the state,” he said.
He also said all MLAs, including the ministers, know the Mizoram-based person as he frequents the secretariat and the CM’s residence.
“I had only cautioned. There are so many instances when the person concerned has been associated with the CM. It is not only one photograph. It is my duty and responsibility to alert my Chief Minister because he is holding a responsibility,” Mukul said.
He pointed out that his words of caution were not required to be expunged.
The CM said that his name had been unnecessarily dragged into the argument.
“Let the member bring out the facts of the case, its status and whether the person concerned has been convicted. Let them link this case to me if there is any proof. Connecting some dots from wherever bringing pictures to the House and misguiding everybody is not how things are done,” he said.
He further said that a senior member of the House should have known this is not how the House functions.
“He has made a big issue out of it. Does he even know what the case is about and does he know that the case is over? He does even know that the court has given a judgment in the case and the concerned person was cleared of all accusations,” the CM said, advising Mukul to do a full research on the matter.
“Being in politics, many people will come to us and there is nothing wrong with it. One should not jump to a conclusion. There is a process of the law which takes its own course. But making a story is something we have not practised,” he said.
The former CM responded by saying he has been advised to come up with a proper procedure to be adopted in the House in order to take up this issue. “We are going to do that,” he said.
Mukul later told newspersons that he had just cautioned the CM to keep away from undesirable associates like those involved in the drug trade.