Ministers Don't Reply To Our Letters, Say Ruling BJP Legislators In Assam

Ruling BJP legislators on Tuesday complained to the Assam Assembly speaker that ministers never reply to their letters on concerns raised by people.The legislators also sought a mechanism by which ministers would be bound to reply to their letters in a fixed time-frame.

Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami said that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal should look into the matter.

The issue was brought to the notice of the speaker by BJP MLA Pranab Kalita as a Point of Order immediately after the Question Hour.

Mr Kalita said that people of the constituency submitted written requests to MLAs on various issues which were then forwarded to the ministers concerned.

But these were not replied by ministers, the Palasbari MLA said.

"Sir, if the prime minister can reply to letters in six days, why cannot we make a system to receive replies from our ministers in a fixed time-frame? Can you do something?" Kalita said in the House.

Expressing similar sentiments, Dhekiajuli's BJP MLA Ashok Singhal said, "We keep writing on many issues and ask many questions to the ministers. But they never reply to us."

He too requested the speaker to take initiative in this regard.

Other BJP MLAs supported Kalita and Singhal by thumping on the desk.

Reacting to the complaints, the speaker said that the MLAs raised a valid point.

"I hope the Chief Minister will take note of it," Mr Goswami said.