Guwahati: The Assam Legislative Assembly was plunged into chaos on Wednesday as the ruling BJP and the opposition clashed over the use of two controversial terms, forcing a brief adjournment of the session.
The dispute began when Baghbor MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed, currently suspended from Congress, raised an issue regarding the sub-divisional agricultural office in Alopati, Barpeta district, during the Question Hour. In his remarks, Ahmed equated the “misleading replies” given by officials to a particular term, which was promptly objected to by BJP MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi. Speaker Biswajit Daimary intervened and expunged the word from the record.
However, the issue escalated after the Question Hour when Kurmi re-raised the matter, questioning whether Ahmed’s use of the term was linked to a specific community. In the process, Kurmi used a derogatory term aimed at Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state, further fueling tensions.
The opposition, consisting of Congress, AIUDF, CPI(M), and Raijor Dal, immediately launched a protest, demanding an apology from Kurmi. Despite the Speaker expunging the offensive term, the opposition remained unsatisfied, prompting Daimary to adjourn the House for 15 minutes.
When the House reconvened, Ahmed reiterated his demand for an apology from Kurmi. Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia condemned the use of the pejorative term, calling it racial and unacceptable. The protest continued from the opposition benches, and in response, Deputy Speaker Numal Momin expunged all references to the two controversial terms. This action finally restored order to the Assembly, ending a heated debate that had threatened to derail the proceedings.
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