Assam: Congress demands breach of privilege proceedings against BJP MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi

The Congress party on Sunday, March 23 urged Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary to initiate breach of privilege proceedings against BJP legislator Rupjyoti Kurmi for allegedly attempting to physically attack opposition members and using abusive language during a heated debate in the House.

In a formal letter to the Speaker, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia sought Kurmi’s immediate suspension from assembly proceedings until a committee investigating the breach of privilege submits its findings. Saikia also demanded that Daimary respond to the matter before the next assembly session scheduled for Monday morning.

The incident occurred on Friday when Kurmi, a former Congress MLA who joined the BJP in 2021, engaged in a verbal altercation with opposition members. The confrontation escalated as he allegedly hurled expletives—later expunged from the official records—and attempted to charge towards the opposition benches before being restrained by marshals.

The BJP’s Assam unit president, Dilip Saikia, has since instructed Kurmi to issue a public apology for his conduct.

Debabrata Saikia stated that Congress had refrained from prolonged disruptions in the House after staging a brief walkout, hoping that the ruling party would initiate an all-party dialogue to address the issue. However, no such initiative was taken.

Expressing concern over Kurmi’s conduct, Saikia alleged that the MLA continued to issue threats even after the session, creating a sense of intimidation among opposition legislators. He urged Speaker Daimary to take decisive action under Rule 158 of the Assam Assembly’s rules and procedures, ensuring disciplinary measures against Kurmi.

Reaffirming confidence in the Speaker’s impartiality, Saikia called for a prompt decision before the House reconvenes at 9:30 am on Monday, March 24.