Guwahati: Assam BJP chief Dilip Saikia on Saturday directed party MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi to issue a public apology for lunging at an Opposition party legislator in the Assembly.
“Your act of leaving your seat and charging at a fellow MLA has drawn the attention of the people of Assam. Your conduct is contrary to the traditions of the Assembly,” Saikia wrote in a strongly worded letter addressed to Kurmi.
Stating that the Mariani MLA is an established and experienced politician who got elected multiple times with the blessings of the people and the BJP is a disciplined party, Saikia said he and the others in the party were shocked to see such behaviour from Kurmi.
“Although you have tendered an apology in the Assembly, you are directed to apologise to the people of the state. We advise you not to repeat such behaviour,” the BJP state president further wrote in the letter.
The incident occurred during Assembly session on Friday when Kurmi charged at Opposition MLA Sherman Ali. Trouble broke out when Ali had intervened during a verbal duel between Kurmi and independent MLA Akhil Gogoi.
The incident had led to pandemonium followed by a walkout by the Opposition members and multiple adjournments of the House.
Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress said this was a very unfortunate incident.
“I have been an MLA since 2011 and we have not seen such an instance when an Opposition member was threatened. A ruling party member, who is senior to me, came to Opposition benches, threatened, abused and tried to assault an Opposition MLA inside the House for telling the truth on road conditions in upper Assam,” the Congress leader said.
Kurmi has been serving as an MLA since 2006. He was with the Congress before joining the BJP in June 2021.
