Agartala: The Tripura Legislative Assembly during its day-long monsoon session witnessed uproar as the Opposition CPIM legislators protested against for not being allowed to hold discussion on several issues, including the prevailing situation amid coronavirus pandemic on Monday.
The monsoon session business started with the obituary references, presentation of BAC report, but soon the Opposition leaders started questioning why the business had a statement to be made by the chief minister, while the Opposition was not given a chance to hold discussion.
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Soon after the Speaker gave permission to the Deputy Speaker to place the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) report, the Opposition chief whip and CPIM MLA, Tapan Chakraborty said that they were not given time to speak and hold discussion on important issues.
He informed the Speaker that during the BAC meeting no time for discussion on bills and other issues was made for the opposition leaders in the assembly.
The Opposition leader and former chief minister, Manik Sarkar said that the assembly session is held in such a way that there is no scope to speak on problems being faced by the people across the state.
“We wanted to speak, but since we were not given a chance to present our side inside the assembly, so we have walk-out from here in protest,” Sarkar said in the assembly while his microphone was turned off.
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The legislatures of Opposition protested with placards against the alleged throttling of democracy.
Later, speaking with reporters, Sarkar said that since March 18, 2018 a series of attacks have been carried out upon the democracy. The economy has collapsed due to the anti-human policies of the BJP-IPFT government. The work like Tripura Urban Employment Program (TUEP) MGNREGA and other developmental projects has stopped across the state.
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“We had tried to attract the attention of the government prior to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. During the all party meeting, we had requested the state government to take precautionary measures against the COVID-19. A delegation of CPIM legislatures also called upon the chief minister but they did not pay any heed to our advice,” Sarkar said.
He also said that the state has directed to not hold any political and social events, whereas the chief minister has been floating the COVID-19 protocol by gathering people every second day. The ruling BJP party has been organizing programs but the police have played the role of spectator.
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He also alleged that amidst the pandemic the workers of ruling BJP have carried out attacks on opposition supporters, crime against women has also increased.
“The chief minister has made statements against the media to distract people’s attention from the failures and mistakes done by the state government,” Sarkar alleged.
There is no chance of holding discussion on important issues like law and order, attack on political leaders, crime against women but our voice is being suppressed by not letting us speak in the assembly session.
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“Is it only the chief minister, who will give a statement in the assembly without holding any discussion on issues which matter for the people of the welfare of the people? A chance should be given to speak for the people,” Sarkar added.
The assembly on Monday passed 10 bills which include, The Industrial Disputes (Tripura second amendment) Bill, 2020, The salaries, allowances, pensions and other benefits of the ministers, speaker, deputy speaker, leader of opposition, government chief whip and members of the legislative assembly (Tripura) (sixth amendment) Bill, 2020 and The Tripura Guaranteed Services to Citizens Act 2020, which will ensure timely service to citizens.
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