AIUDF MLA's controversial remark on Assam budget triggers row

GUWAHATI: The Assam assembly on Monday witnessed noisy scenes over a comment on the state budget by Opposition AIUDF member Aminul Islam, which was later expunged from the records.

Islam's controversial remark was made on an agricultural project in Darrang district, which was mentioned in the budget tabled in the assembly last week.

Finance Minister Ajanta Neog had said in the budget speech that under the project, the government has removed encroachers from 77,420 bighas of land in Garukhuti area and indigenous youths living in that area will start agricultural work and rear animals there.

An amount of Rs 9.60 crore has been proposed in the budget for this scheme.

After the AIUDF MLA made the comment during his speech, Neog and several other BJP members stood up and objected to it.

The finance minister urged Deputy Speaker Numal Momin who was on the chair to expunge from records a particular word Islam used in his comment.

Ordering that the word be removed from records, Momin asked Islam to use restrain while making speeches.

"You are a good orator. Try to avoid contentious issues," the Deputy Speaker said, addressing Islam.

As the discussion proceeded, Islam claimed that the use of words in the budget speech led to some apprehension and he had aired that.

"It has been said in the budget speech that eviction will be done and indigenous people will be settled there.

Does it mean that those who were living there were foreigners?" he asked.

Ruling BJP MLA Padma Hazarika, who is heading a committee to lead the agricultural initiatives in Garukheti, urged Islam not to derail the main issue as the project was meant for the greater welfare of the society.