GUWAHATI, March 24: The Assam Assembly was thrown into chaos on Monday when the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Congress MLA Nurul Huda of allegedly attacking Deputy Speaker Numal Momin outside the House. The altercation led to an adjournment of the session.

The incident unfolded shortly after Congress legislators wore black attire in protest against BJP MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi, who had reportedly verbally abused opposition members and attempted to assault them during a previous session. Congress members staged a sit-in protest outside the Speaker’s chamber before the session began, demanding action against Kurmi for his behavior.

During the Question Hour, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed the House that he had received a WhatsApp message from Deputy Speaker Momin, stating he was attacked by Nurul Huda and had been hospitalized as a result. Sarma urged the Speaker to file a police complaint since the incident occurred outside the House, which would allow for a police investigation.

Interestingly, Momin had been seen attending the session moments before the alleged attack but left shortly after. In response, Speaker Biswajit Daimary assured the House that officials had been instructed to look into the matter.

Leader of the Opposition, Debabrata Saikia, suggested that the incident should be investigated by a House Committee, as it occurred within the Assembly premises, and thus, did not warrant police intervention. He argued that the matter should be handled internally.

The tension escalated further as opposition members from Congress, AIUDF, and CPI-M entered the Well of the House, protesting against Kurmi’s behavior and disputing the ruling party’s claims about the incident involving Momin. BJP members, led by Sarma, countered the protests, claiming that the opposition had attacked Momin, who belongs to an indigenous tribal community.

Sarma warned that such an attack on an indigenous tribal member within the Assembly complex set a dangerous precedent. “This is bound to become a serious issue,” he cautioned.

As the commotion intensified, Speaker Daimary adjourned the House for 10 minutes, ordering an investigation into Momin’s condition by the Assembly Secretary in an effort to restore order.