MLA Aminul Islam suspended for live-streaming speech

GUWAHATI: After AAP MP

Bhagawat Mann

faced a temporary ban from attending the proceedings of the house in last year's

Parliament

video case, AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam was on Monday suspended from the house for three days by speaker

Hitendra Nath Goswami

for live-streaming his speech on Facebook on Friday.

"I am convinced the action of honourable MLA Aminul Islam is a clear case of breach of the model code of conduct to be observed by members while in the house. Sensing the gravity of the situation, I had decided to take a suo motu case and directed the chairman of the ethics committee to submit a report on February 6. The committee has recommended suspension of the member for a specific period for gross misconduct," the speaker said.

Aminul live-streamed his speech on the contentious illegal migrants issue for, he claimed, creating greater awareness about the issue and reaching out to a wider section of the people. He, however, admitted on Monday to having broken the rules. "I accept it ... At the same time, I also demand that the entire proceedings of the assembly be telecast live. People demand that as we are their representatives, they should be able to see all our activities inside the house," he told the media outside the house.

Islam had submitted a written apology for his conduct to the speaker earlier.

Goswami had asked the house ethics committee, of which Islam is a member, to submit a report after parliamentary affairs minister

Chandra Mohan Patowary

lodged a complaint immediately after Islam's video went viral on Friday.

Goswami said, "Aminul's act is not a minor one, particularly as he is a member of the ethics committee." Goswami, while giving his ruling, said, "It is pertinent to mention that a similar incident took place in Parliament in July, 2016 and in that event, the Lok Sabha speaker took stern action against the erring MP on the basis of a report submitted by a committee set up for the purpose."

The case Goswami was referring to was that of Bhagawat Mann, found to have breached Parliament security when he allegedly live-streamed the drive from his residence to the Lok Sabha and posted it on Facebook. Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan banned him from attending the house till a committee set up to probe the breach of security submitted its report. Based on the findings, Mahajan further barred Mann from the house till December 9.