Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary arrives for the Budget Session of the Assembly, in Guwahati, on March 10, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Opposition legislators on March 10 disrupted Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s speech in the Assembly over a Maharashtra MLA’s remarks about purported ‘dog meat eating’ habits of people of the northeastern State.

Mr. Kataria had to restrict his speech to 15 minutes on the first day of the Budget session, as the Opposition MLAs stood up and shouted slogans, seeking to know what action has been taken against the legislator.

MLA Bachchu Kadu had reportedly proposed in the Maharashtra Assembly that stray dogs be sent to Assam to control their rising population, as they are consumed by locals in the northeastern State.

Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha raised the matter as Kataria began to speak. Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi also maintained that the issue should feature in the governor’s speech.

As the Opposition MLAs continued to disrupt proceedings, Mr. Kataria concluded his speech barely half way into it.