The ruling BJP on Tuesday staged protests across Assam over the alleged attack on state Assembly deputy speaker Numal Momin by a Congress MLA even as his injured left hand became a topic of discussion after a video of him purportedly “gaming through the pain” on his cell phone surfaced on social media this morning.
BJP ST Morcha members condemned the alleged assault by Congress MLA Nurul Huda, sought action against him and hoped that the incident would not be repeated. They also submitted a memorandum to the Speaker through the district administration.
Protestors with placards raised slogans against Huda in Morigaon. ”We condemn the attack and don’t want it to be repeated . People look up to the Assembly. We don’t send our representatives to the Assembly to indulge in gundagardi. We request the government to take punitive action against Huda so that such an incident is not repeated,” he said.
BJP media department convenor Dewan Dhrubajyoti Maral said the protests were held in all 39 district units of the state BJP. The decision to stage the protest was taken on Monday.
This statewide mobilisation is designed to send an unambiguous and powerful message against political violence and to safeguard the rights and dignity of Assam’s indigenous communities, Maral said.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had on Monday dropped enough hints that the ruling BJP will amplify the alleged assault when he had on Monday requested the Speaker to file a police case against Huda as the attack took place outside the House.
He had also injected the tribal angle to the issue, which was later picked up by the state BJP, as evident from the protest lodged by the party’s ST Morcha. Momin hails from the tribal Garo community.
“This (attack) will set a bad precedent that an indigenous person has been attacked inside the Assembly complex. This is going to be a big issue,” Sarma had said.
Speaker Biswajit Daimary has ordered a probe.
Besides the protests, Momin’s injury also attracted attention on Tuesday when senior journalist, Afrida Hussain, posted a video of Momin where he is purportedly seen using his mobile phone with his injured left hand.
The video was reposted by Assam PCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah.
In a tongue-in-cheek post accompanying the video, Hussain wrote, “Gaming through the pain! Despite his “badly injured” hand, Deputy Speaker @DrNumal showed true warrior spirit? crushing it on Candy Crush, giving a press statement, and even filing a complaint at the Dispur police station.Wishing him a speedy recovery! Video credit: Journalist #AmarendraGaming through the pain!”
Momin, who had lodged a complaint with the Dispur Police against Huda on Monday evening, had said in the Assembly that he had hurt his hand in the jostling while being obstructed by Huda and his colleagues. He had left the House soon after the Question Hour started for preliminary treatment after he saw blood.
An MBBS by qualification, Momin returned with a bandage on his left hand. He said he had also taken a tetanus injection and painkillers in the House.
By evening, Momin said he was manhandled and that the obstruction was pre-planned. It was akin to “a terrorist activity” and it was Congress “once again working against the tribals”.
Huda has denied the charges, asserting there was no attack and that he holds Momin in high esteem.
“With reference to the so-called assault on the Deputy Speaker by @INCAssamMLAs, I have spoken to both the legislators in question: Nurul Huda and Abdul Baten Kandakar. They told me that they were standing and it was actually Deputy Speaker Dr. Numal Momin who pushed them away. I stand by the truth, neither with the accused nor the so-called victim. Therefore I demand that all CCTV footage regarding the incident be made public. Let the public decide whose side the truth leans!”
Leader of the Opposition, Debabrata Saikia, said the deputy Speaker is part of Assembly system. “He should have waited for the ruling of the Assembly Speaker before going to the police because the Speaker had assured to pass an order after due verification.”
