BJP’s lone Muslim MLA in Assam becomes deputy speaker of assembly
Aminul Haque Laskar was elected Deputy Speaker unopposed after opposition parties including Congress and AlUDF did not name any candidate for the post which had become vacant after Kripanath Mallah of the BJP won the Karimganj Lok Sabha seat.
Aminul Haque Laskar, the lone Muslim legislator from Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam, was on Wednesday elected unopposed to the post of deputy speaker of the state legislative assembly.
Aminul Haque Laskar who was elected unopposed to the post of deputy speaker of the state assembly is an MLA from Sonai. (HT PHOTO)
Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami made the announcement during the ongoing session of the assembly.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Besides his own party, Laskar, who represents the Sonai constituency, had the support of Asom Gana Parishad and Bodo People’s Front, the two parties who are partners in the BJP-led ruling coalition in Assam.
The opposition parties including Congress and All India United Democratic Front did not name any candidate for the post which had become vacant after former deputy speaker Kripanath Mallah of the BJP won the Karimganj Lok Sabha seat.
“It is a big responsibility, more so, because the opposition parties didn’t name anyone to contest against me. I will be neutral and uphold dignity of the post,” Laskar said after his election.
Laskar had hit the headlines in June last year when he received a letter from an obscure organization along with two live bullets asking him to quit BJP within 15 days or face death.
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.
Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.
Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.
