Assam Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami on Tuesday rejected the Opposition’s adjournment motions, saying that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) issue was sub judice, but agreed that democratic movement was a fundamental right.

The Congress and AIUDF had raised adjournment motions on Monday on the government’s alleged misuse of power and imposition of stringent laws to suppress democratic movements in the state. After the Speaker decided to reserve the ruling on the adjournment motions for a day, MLAs of both parties walked out of the House in protest.

Goswami said, “Leaders of the Congress and the AIUDF wanted to discuss the alleged infringement of fundamental and democratic rights of select individuals by the Assam government, especially during the anti-CAA movement. The right to express is an integral part of democracy. If anyone believes that his/her fundamental rights are being violated, they can approach the judiciary.”

He added, “The issue of CAA is sub judice as the Supreme Court is hearing the matter. The cases of those in custody are also under trial. Therefore, an adjournment motion is not required and thus the motion is rejected.”

Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia had, in his adjournment motion, said the government had violated freedom of expression by imposing Section 144 during the recent democratic protests while AIUDF legislator Hafiz Bashir Ahmed, in his adjournment motion, said the CAA was against the spirit of the Assam Accord and needed to be discussed. On Monday, the Opposition legislators had gathered in front of the Speaker and raised slogans against CAA.

He said, “Violating the fundamental rights of citizens, the government targeted a section of people and put them behind bars in fake cases. It’s a clear infringement of public rights.”

After a violent protest during an anti-CAA rally in December, state police had arrested several persons, including the vice-president of the Assam unit of National Students’ Union of India, Zubair Anam Mazumdar. The police arrested KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi and handed him over to the National Investigation Agency, which booked him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.