VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, March 23: Speaker of Jharkhand Assembly Rabindra Nath Mahto on Wednesday directed the office of the chief secretary of Jharkhand and the Department of the Cabinet Coordination to ensure unfailingly that the MLAs of Jharkhand assembly are accorded respect and are treated as per the protocol.
The Speaker gave the direction in the wake of objections raised by the Congress MLA Jaimangal Singh alias Anoop Singh on Tuesday. The MLA said that during the dinner party hosted by Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on Monday evening at the Raj Bhavan they were humiliated.
He said that former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto and many other MLAs were uncourteously treated during the dinner party. Besides, their vehicles were stopped to clear traffic of Jharkhand Police ADGP ML Meena.
Taking note of the matter, the Speaker said that such treatment with the MLAs would not be tolerated. He further said that he would ask top officials of the government to ensure that they are their subordinates, and improve their beheviour and give proper respect to MLAs.
In a short and crisp note, the office of the Speaker on Wednesday has categorically said that it would be the personal responsibility of the chief secretary of Jharkhand and the secretary of the Cabinet Coordination to ensure that established protocols are followed regarding MLAs.
“For the last many days the matter has been brought to the notice of the chair of the Speaker that some officials of the state government are not extending due respect to MLAs in accordance with the protocols and constitutional norms,” the official note reads.
However, sources in the assembly clarified that it was the direction and the same should not be confused as censure motion.
