Assam speaker Daimary speaks in Bodo in Assembly; video viral

GUWAHATI: Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary today

">resorted to his mother tongue (Bodo) to quell the uproarious situation in the ongoing winter Assembly session as the legislators refused to stay quiet.

Today, opposition and ruling MLAs hurled allegations and counter-allegations during a reply to a question of Panchayat and Rural Development department.

Trying to maintain decorum, Daimary stood up and requested the legislators let the proceedings continue. When his repeated pleas went unheard, the Speaker said he would allow the next 10 minutes for the members to continue with their ‘kajia’ (fight) and speak as they wished, and he will not interfere.

The normal proceedings resumed at the end of the 10 minutes and continued smoothly for nearly 30 minutes before the ruckus started once again.

With no sign of it stopping, a visibly infuriated Daimary finally spoke in Bodo in a bid to quell the ruckus.

A translation of the Speaker’s words: “We should not make a ruckus in the house because people will make fun of us. We have been sent here with many aspirations. But if we don’t listen as legislators, who will listen to us? Therefore, kindly be quiet and listen to what the others have to say.”

Unable to understand what Daimary was saying, a number of MLAs put on their headphones to listen to the Assamese translation. The assembly also has a provision for that.

Assam legilators are now allowed to speak in Bodo language in the state Assembly. The decision comes after a special meeting that featured Assam Legislative Assembly speaker Biswajit Daimary who represents the Bodo community.

The special meeting which was attended by several legislators, important dignitaries of the Bodo community, and various members of Bodo organisations — came to this decision that they shall provide a platform for the legislators to use their mother tongue in the house.

Recently, the Bodo language had received recognition by the state government as the associate official language of Assam.

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