The Assam Legislative Assembly witnessed chaotic scenes on Wednesday during the second day of the budget session as the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress clashed over demands to adjourn the House. The BJP sought an adjournment to discuss the report on the APSC (Assam Public Service Commission) scam by B.K. Sharma, while the Congress demanded a discussion on the syndicate issue. The uproar forced the Speaker to adjourn the House three times, creating a tense atmosphere.
Speaker Biswajit Daimary was approached by BJP members demanding an adjournment, followed by Congress members who also pressed for a discussion on their adjournment motion. The opposition’s uproar led to a tumultuous environment, compelling the Speaker to adjourn the House. Initially, the House was adjourned for 10 minutes, then again for another 10 minutes, and finally for 20 minutes.
During this period, the Speaker clarified that only the discussion on the Governor’s address would take place, and no other issues would be entertained. He stated that the House would not be adjourned for the day. Meanwhile, Congress MLA Susanta Borgohain emphasized that they wanted a discussion on the APSC scam report, urging that the guilty be identified and held accountable. BJP MLA Manab Deka reiterated the need to expose the culprits behind the APSC scandal.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called for discussions on both issues, stating that the BJP wanted to discuss the APSC scam while the Congress sought to raise the syndicate issue. He emphasized that the final decision rested with the Speaker.
The APSC scam, which involved irregularities in the 2013 and 2014 Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE), has been a major point of contention. The report by retired Justice B.K. Sharma, tabled in the Assembly on Monday, implicated several individuals, including Rakesh Pal, who was accused of being the “mastermind” behind the scam. The report also raised questions about the appointment process during Tarun Gogoi’s tenure as Chief Minister. It revealed that Rakesh Pal had met Gogoi in 2013 and later gifted him expensive items, following which Pal was appointed as the permanent chairman of APSC. The report further alleged that Pal gifted gold jewelry to Gogoi’s son during his wedding. Over 70 people have been arrested in connection with the scam so far.
