NC against speaker lost in pandemonium

SHILLONG, MAR 25: In a twist to the unfolding story of the no confidence motion against the Meghalaya assembly speaker AT Mondal taken up on Wednesday, the Meghalaya assembly witnessed pandemonium not over the NC but over the reconstitution of the panel of chairmen by Mondal on Tuesday after former Meghalaya assembly speaker and one of the chairman in the panel MM Danggo informed he will not be able to attend the session today.

The motion against Mondal anyway was defeated after the chairman Ronnie V Lyngdoh put it to vote voice since the opposition refused to discuss the NC as everyone was busy demanding clarification over the reconstitution of the panel of chairmen and also over Danggo’s  letter informing about his impending absence from the session but interestingly was presence during the no confidence motion on Tuesday.

Opposition Meghalaya People’s Forum  leader Donkupar Roy sought a clarification on the reconstitution of the panel of chairmen by the Assembly Speaker AT Mondal on Tuesday when the no confidence motion was  to be taken up a day later.

Mondal on Tuesday announced the reconstitution of panel of chairmen after receiving a letter from MM Danggo informing that he will not be able to attend the assembly as he had to undergo medical treatment. Danggo’s letter was submitted a day after the Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai tendered his resignation.

Opposition members said they were shocked and surprised to see Danggo, also a former Speaker, present in the assembly on Wednesday before discussion on the NC could be taken up.

Demanding a clarification before discussion the NC, NPP legislator James K Sangma questioned whether they were misled as he (Danggo) was not only present in the assembly but was also looking ‘hale and hearty’.

James questioned whether  it is  morally right for the Speaker to reconstitute the panel of chairmen when the NC was pending against him saying that it is like “an accused is allowed to choose a judge for his own very case”.

Echoing similar views, Roy said, “The announcement made by the Speaker yesterday is 100 percent wrong as to say that the member is undergoing treatment and he won’t be able to attend the assembly but is here in our midst today.”

Roy said what the opposition want is that either the information in the bulletin provided to the members may be deleted or a clarification should be given.”Referring to the rules, he said, “Once the NC is being admitted, the Speaker cannot appoint the panel of chairmen.”

UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh also pointed out if there is no indication in the letter mentioning that the member had resigned from the panel of chairmen then where is the need to reconstitute the panel.

Quoting the rules, chairman Ronnie V Lyngdoh, however, said  that rules are clear that the Speaker with the power vested upon him can constitute the panel of chairmen from time to time. Defending Mondal, he said, “The Speaker has not broken any rules as the members of panel are not more than four which as per the rule book.”

Intervening in between, forest minister Prestone Tynsong termed the issue raised by opposition as petty and wastage of time.

Former chief minister and government’s Chief Adviser DD Lapang urged the house not to deviate from discussing the main issue (resolution).

Danggo, however, intervene and clarified saying that he did go to Guwahati for medical check-up and it is only with permission of the doctor he came to attend the assembly session today.  He told the house,“I have been apprehensive about my health and so I give in writing to the Speaker that I may not be able to attend.”

Despite repeated clarifications, the oppositions including NPP legislator James K Sangma demanded the chairman to assure that there is no partiality and manipulation before going ahead with the discussion on the NC.

During the debate, Tynsong also took offense to the word ‘fishy’ used by James Sangma and said, “There is no question of fishy, I urged the word should be expunged, as this will only shows that all 60 MLAs are not fit to be here.”

To this, James asked him to prove that such things are not taking place.

Meanwhile, the chairman repeatedly asked the movers of the NC motion whether they would initiate the discussion or not and threatened that if they don’t move the resolution it would be considered as null and void.

James Sangma, however, maintained that discussion would be initiated only when the opposition is assured that there is no manipulation.

As the movers of the NC refused to initiate the discussion, chairman, RV Lyngdoh decided put the resolution to vote and declared the resolution is defeated and rejected.

Soon after this, the house was declared sine-die by the chairman.- By Our Reporter