AIZAWL:
Members of Mizoram’s opposition parties, the Congress and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), on February 23, staged a walkout demanding Speaker Lalrinliana Sailo’s removal after reports of his alleged involvement in the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojna (PMGSY) fund misappropriation case emerged.
As the Speaker began to preside over the second day of the Budget session, the ZPM Legislature Party leader stood up and demanded the Speaker to vacate the chair.
“We have come to learn that you have pocketed Rs 100 lakh from Khawzawl-Ngaizawl road construction, which disheartens the people. We feel it’s better that you don’t preside over the session, in order to preserve the sanctity of the House and to protect your own dignity,” Lalduhoma said.
Earlier, on February 22, the two opposition parties had made a joint appeal to Chief Minister Zoramthanga to debar the speaker from presiding over the session, and instead allow Deputy Speaker Lalrinawma to chair the session.
The joint appeal was made after Sailo’s name came up in a row between villagers of Ngaizawl and sub-contractor of Khawzawl-Ngaizawl road construction, wherein it was stated that the Speaker had undertaken the road construction work under the name of Sub-contractor Romuanpuii Zadeng in 2017.
As the budget session proceeded without the opposition members, except for the lone BJP member, the Speaker took an opportunity to clarify himself. “By God’s grace, I have never taken a single paisa that belongs to someone else.”
Later in the afternoon, ZPM filed a written complaint to the State Lokayukta against Speaker Sailo’s alleged embezzlement of funds from government contracts.
“We request your esteemed office to investigate the allegations and find out if the Assembly Speaker enjoys shares from government contracts,” the complaint said.
They also submitted a letter to the Governor seeking an appointment to discuss the matter. In the 40-member assembly, the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) now has 28 members, while the ZPM, Congress and BJP has six, five and one member, respectively.