Assam Assembly takes up adjournment motion on Zubeen Garg death probe

Guwahati, Nov 25: The five-day winter session of the Assam Assembly opened on Tuesday under tense circumstances, as Opposition parties mounted protests over eviction drives and demanded justice in the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg before the day’s proceedings began.

Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia and Sivsagar MLA Akhil Gogoi, rose immediately after the obituary references, urging Speaker Biswajit Daimary to admit their adjournment motions on Garg’s death.

When the Opposition argued that the adjournment motion was vital to determine who was responsible for Zubeen Garg’s death, the Speaker countered that no debate could be allowed as the matter was sub judice.

The motion, brought jointly by the Opposition, was eventually admitted after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma intervened, requesting the Speaker to allow it.

Daimary was preparing to permit the members to speak on the admissibility of the motion when the Chief Minister stepped in.

Sarma told the House that the government was “equally seized of the matter” and urged the Speaker to accept the adjournment motion.

He also asked that several key bills and supplementary grants listed for the day be taken up due to their urgency.

The Chief Minister added that no member from the Treasury benches would join the debate, saying the government would only place its official response.

Accepting the proposal, the Speaker admitted the motion and confirmed that the bills and supplementary grants would be introduced after the discussion.

Speaker Daimary also cautioned members against making any statements that might interfere with the ongoing investigation into Garg’s death.

Earlier, chaos unfolded even before the House convened. Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi staged a protest on the Assembly premises, holding a banner bearing Garg’s photograph and the slogan “#JusticeForZubeen”.

“We, Raijor Dal, demand the resignation of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who holds the Home Department portfolio. He has failed as Home Minister and we want his resignation. We demand a CBI probe into the matter and want MoS Pabitra Margherita and Riniki Bhuyan to be brought under the purview of the probe,” Gogoi said as he entered the complex, chanting “Joi Zubeen Da”.

The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) also staged a demonstration, protesting against eviction drives carried out by the NDA government across several districts.

“The government doesn't understand the language of democracy. Hence, we have come to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi as there is no other way for us to make our voices heard against the cruel eviction drive of the government. Every legislator of the party today is demonstrating against the government’s undemocratic drive,” said Mankachar MLA Aminul Islam.

The Congress, too, mounted a show of protest, demanding justice for the late singer and wearing black armbands to register dissatisfaction with the progress of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.

The winter session is expected to table 25 Bills, with 11 slated for introduction on November 25.

With inputs from PTI