Peeved over the protocol mess, leader of Opposition in the Assembly Bhupinder Singh on Thursday staged a walkout in protest during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Governor SC Jamir at the Abhishek Hall of the Raj Bhawan here and demanded apology from the Government for the mistake. However, the State Government in its reaction said, "Everything was in order."
Raising the protocol controversy issue in the State Assembly, leader of Opposition Singh regretted that the State Government had forgotten to observe the protocol precedence and humiliated him. Singh despite being the leader of Opposition in the Assembly was given seat in third row against which he walked out of the swearing-in ceremony in midway in protest. Drawing the attention of the Speaker regarding the protocol disorder, Singh alleged that the MlAs were not even invited to the swearing-in ceremony of the new Governor.
The Governor is the first citizen and constitutional head of the State. Being the custodian of the Assembly, right of summoning the House is vested with the Governor, Singh said and lamented that it was unfortunate that the Government had disrespected the members of the House by not inviting them to the function. He urged the Speaker to direct the Government to clarify the position in the House and beg apology for violation of protocol order.
However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das making a statement in the House on behalf of the State Government clarified the misgivings on the part of the leader of Opposition. Das, defending the Government, said that since the swearing-in ceremony of the new Governor was a State-level function, the order of precedence as enunciated by the Notification of March 28, 1998 by the Home Department was observed in letter and spirit.
Honouring the order of precedence, sitting arrangements for the leader of Opposition was made after the Cabinet Ministers and former CMs, he said, dismissing the allegation of showing disrespect to the leader of Opposition.