Where should I sit? Syiem asks Speaker

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, MAR 3: Suspended Congress legislator Pynshngain N. Syiem was today left confounded when he found himself amidst his colleagues in the treasury bench of the Meghalaya Assembly.

“Today, I came early into the House to know my position, and found that I am very much in the jurisdiction of the treachery bench despite of me being barred to be in the party,” Syiem, who represents Mawsynram Assembly constituency, said while raising point of order questioning the fate of suspended members inside the House here on Friday.

The budget session of the state Assembly opened today with the customary address by the Governor.

Syiem brought to the notice of Speaker Abu Taher Mondal that the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) had issued a suspension order in December last year against him (Syiem) for three years.

Making his intervention, Mondal said that there has been no communication to his office from the Congress party with regards to Syiem’s suspension

“There has been no communication to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly from the party on this (suspension),” he said.

Seated next to former health minister A.L. Hek, Syiem also went on to add by saying, “I am confused whether I am still in the treachery bench or just an attached member. Please tell us whether my seat will be in treachery or in the opposition.”

Replying to Syiem’s query, the Speaker said that as per convention, the seating arrangement for suspended members would be allocated with the party he belonged.

“You will be given a separate seat only if you are expelled,” Mondal said.

When Syiem asked whether it was still permissible for him to sit in the ruling room, the Speaker said, “There is no bar on this and in fact my room is also opened for you.”

Later, former chief minister and MPCC chief DD Lapang said that it was common sense as the words ‘suspended’ and ‘expelled’ were different.

“The action taken against him (Syiem) for some omission is an internal matter of the party. Therefore, the question of being outside and not a Congress man is wrong,” Lapang said.