Congress questions Arunachal Governor's role; disrupts Rajya Sabha business

Raising the issue soon after the House assembled for the day, Ghulam Nabi Azad suggested that the Governor was "interfering" with the activities of the state government

Congress today disrupted Rajya Sabha proceedings raising questions over Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prashad Rajkhowa's role and sought his dismissal alleging that his actions amounted to "murder of democracy and Constitution", inviting sharp reactions from the treasury benches.

Raising the issue soon after the House assembled for the day, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad suggested that the Governor was "interfering" with the activities of the state government and the Legislature over summoning of Winter Session of the assembly and "deciding" its agenda "without the state government requesting for it".

"The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh is behaving like a dictator," Azad said calling it the "most undemocratic thing that had not happened even during the British period".

"The Governor summoned an assembly session without consulting the state government or the Chief Minister. The Governor himself fixed the agenda and decided that the Assembly Speaker will not preside over the proceedings. This is not within the rights of the Governor."

"Democracy is being murdered. The same Constitution which you discussed 15 days ago is being shredded into pieces, being buried. Our party will not allow it to happen. The Opposition will not allow it," he said.

As soon as Azad raised the issue, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley disapproved of Parliament discussing a matter concerning a state assembly.

"Can the proceedings of an Assembly be discussed in the House? What is happening in a state Assembly, it has never been discussed in the House and should never happen," he said telling the Chair if this was allowed in Rajya Sabha, the state assemblies will later be discussing parliamentary proceedings in future.

Raising a point of order Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the House cannot sit over making judgements on the proceedings of an Assembly and neither can the role of the Governor be discussed here.

Azad, however, said that the Assembly session was yet to commence there, and hence what he was raising were not assembly proceedings. Besides, he argued that since the Rajya Sabha represents the states, "it is our duty to protect the states. We are not going to budge."

Rajkhowa has summoned the Winter Session of the 6th Legislative Assembly from tomorrow till December 18th, modifying the November 3rd order summoning the assembly from January 14th to 18th next year.