GUWAHATI: Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia on Wednesday lambasted chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his remarks in which he said that the role of an MLA is to make laws and ministers in Dispur will take care of public welfare.
“The role of an MLA is confined to framing laws, while it is the duty of the ministers to implement them. Government officers will listen to the ministers as long as I am the chief minister. The Speaker (of the Assembly) will listen to the MLAs,” Sarma said addressing a function at Sorbhog in Barpeta district on Tuesday.
Reacting sharply to the statement, Saikia said the ministers are responsible for carrying out the work of their departments efficiently and the officials are entrusted with the task of implementing government policies.
“The Constitution does not mention anywhere that ruling party ministers can usurp the powers of the opposition MLAs. By saying such unconstitutional things, it is being sought to demean the position of Assembly members. We all know that the primary responsibility of MLAs is to make laws, still MLAs of both ruling and opposition parties are bound to work for development of their respective constituencies in a neutral way, in accordance with established precedent,” Saikia said in a statement here on Wednesday.
“For this, there is also a system of committees of different departments at the district and constituency level where the chairman is the local MLA, not the central minister, whether he belongs to the ruling or opposition party. Similarly, there are oversight committees at the ‘mahkuma’ or subdivision level, as laid down in the Constitution. There are committees at different levels for checks and balances. So, the comment from the Chief Minister that the job of an MLA is at Sorbhog making laws in the Assembly only is frivolous and does not become that of an educated man with a degree in law. I strongly condemn the statement by CM Sarma,” he added further.
The Congress leader urged the chief minister to pay more attention to administrative work rather than making political statements.
