RS adjourned over protest

By our Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, Oct 17: That the Centre neglects Asom was proved yet again today when Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari made no mention of those killed in Asom due to floods in his condolence references in the Upper House. The Rajya Sabha Chairman only mentioned those killed in Bihar floods. The Parliament session began today.Two AGP MPs and one BPF MP in the Rajya Sabha, however, compelled the Chairman to include Asom flood victims in the condolence references but not before creating a ruckus leading to the adjournment of the House for an hour. Talking to The Sentinel over telephone from New Delhi, AGP MP Birendra Prasad Baishya said: “During the condolence references of those killed in floods this year, the Chairman only mentioned those killed in Bihar. I strongly protested the neglect to Asom and told the Chairman that Bihar witnessed only one wave of flood this year, but floods ravaged Asom from June killing many people and rendering lakhs of people homeless. Soon I was joined by my party colleague Kumar Dipak Das and BPF MP Biswajit Daimary, and our protest became louder. At that time, some MPs of other States also raised various demands and when the situation went beyond control, the Chairman adjourned the House till 12 noon.”According to Baishya, they (the three Asom MPs) then went to the Chairman’s chamber and requested him to include Asom flood victims in the condolence references. When the session resumed at 12 noon, the Chairman brought fresh condolence references including flood victims of Asom, Baishya said. Surprisingly, two other Asom MPs — Silvius Condpan and Anwara Taimur — of the Congress were also present in the House but they preferred not to join the AGP and BPF MPs in the protest against the neglect to the State. source: the sentinel assam