Former Meghalaya CM and TMC leader Mukul Sangma speaks during the Autumn Session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, in Shillong, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023.
Credit: PTI Photo
Meghalaya Speaker Thomas A Sangma Wednesday expunged the statements made by TMC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma as he considered them "violative of the rules."
The expunge order came after the state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prestone Tynsong requested for it and called the TMC leader's statement as a 'violation of Assembly rules'.
Mukul Sangma had accused Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma of having a close association with a 'drug kingpin' from Mizoram.
"I, in exercise of the rules, expunge the statement made by Mukul Sangma from the proceedings (of the House) as they are violative of the rules," the speaker said referring to the relevant rules.
"Therefore, the speech made by Mukul Sangma on the matter against the chief minister will not be part of the proceedings and I hereby expunge it from the proceedings of the House on September 19," he said.
Asserting that the Meghalaya Assembly is known to be a disciplined House, the speaker said, "Let us not engage in calling names and making allegations without substantiated evidence."
Tynsong requested Mukul Sangma, the lawmaker of Songsak, to refrain from making such reference based on a photograph.
The TMC leader made the comment during a discussion on a motion in the House on Tuesday. Defending his submission, he said that the deputy chief minister has misintepreted its basic intent.
"The person concerned whose name was reflected in the national media was an alleged accused and not convicted. I have not made an allegation of any substantive crime. I made my submission saying that we have got to be careful, we have got to be cautious as to whom we associate with while we occupy an office of position, an office which is constitutionally empowered," Mukul Sangma had said.
"I have also made a submission suggesting the CM to dissociate himself from persons whose antecedents are not known. It is up to to CM to put them under the scanner - that is what I have said. Now why is the government of the day so desperate and sweating it out to defend it?" Mukul Sangma asked.
He asserted that the photograph is an official one and can be seen in the social media page of the organiser of the programme in which he had been seen and the sitting arrangement for him in the front was made officially.
The TMC leader asserted that he had raised the issue as the "unprecedented availability of drugs" in the state was a matter of concern for him. He also claimed that everybody in the House knew that the person frequent the secretariat and the chief minister's residence.
"The person is associated with the CM and it is my duty to alert my CM because he holds responsibility," the TMC leader said adding that he has not accused Conrad Sangma and that his statement does not require to be expunged.
He also assured that he will follow proper procedure to ensure a decision is taken on the matter.
The chief minister in his turn expressed concern that his name was dragged into unnecessary argument and asked the TMC leader to bring out the facts of the case.
"Our point is if you are going to connect two dots wherever you wish and suits you and draw a picture of that and then bring it in the House to misguide everybody. That is what we are trying to say," he added.
"Does he (Mukul Sangma) even know that what this case is all about? Does he even know that the case is already over? Does he even know that the court had given a complete judgment of this case and says the concerned persons are free ... Let him do a research on this and let him find out," Conrad Sangma added.