Ruckus In Assam Assembly Over Maharashtra MLA's 'Dog Meat' Remark

A Maharashtra MLA's remarks about purported dog meat eating habits of people of Assam led to noisy scenes in its assembly on Friday, with opposition legislators disrupting Governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s speech and later staging a walk out.

As the opposition MLAs stood up and shouted slogans, seeking to know what action has been taken against the legislator, Kataria had to cut short his speech to 15 minutes.

MLA Bachchu Kadu had reportedly proposed in the Maharashtra Assembly that stray dogs be sent to Assam to control their rising population, as they are consumed by locals in the northeastern state.

The issue was first raised by Congress legislator Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, who questioned the Assam government's “inaction” against Kadu, pointing out that a police team from the state had recently reached New Delhi to arrest party leader Pawan Khera over alleged remarks against the prime minister.

The matter was again brought to the fore in the House by the opposition when it reassembled after a brief break.

AIUDF MLA Rafikul Islam urged Speaker Biswajit Daimary to take suo motu cognisance for breach of privilege against Kadu's remarks and “make him come to the Assam Assembly and apologise”.

Islam’s colleague Aminul Islam claimed that Kadu was among the MLAs, who had camped in Guwahati last year during the change of government in the western state. Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi and CPI(M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar also joined the opposition legislators in demanding action against their Maharashtra counterpart.

As the Congress MLAs moved into the Well of the House, Daimary asked them to return to their seats, and approach the matter through proper channels.

Amid the ruckus, all the opposition MLAs staged a walk out.