UNREST IN ASSEMBLY, SPEAKER SUSPENDS FIVE BJP MLAs FOR UNRULY BEHAVIOUR

TMC, BJP MLAs clash after latter demand Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s statement on Birbhum atrocity and deteriorating law and order

An altercation over the Birbhum violence between the MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) created chaos in the Bengal Assembly, leading to the suspension of five BJP MLAs on Monday.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari with BJP MLAs raise slogans during a protest after being suspended from the State Assembly in Kolkata on Monday.

West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay suspended the BJP MLAs – Suvendu Adhikari, Manoj Tigga, Narahari Mahato, Shankar Ghosh, and Dipak Barman – for future sessions due to their alleged unruly behaviour.

The brawl erupted as BJP MLAs staged a protest in the House demanding a statement from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the Birbhum atrocity and a debate on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

Speaking of the worsening law and order in the state, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikar said that eight people were burnt alive in Birbhum and an 11-year-old girl was raped in North 24 Parganas. “We demanded a statement from the chief minister as well as a discussion in the House. When the Speaker declined, BJP legislators staged a democratic protest. The TMC MLAs and security officers then attacked the BJP legislators. Eight people were hurt.”

“Opposition demanded discussion over law and order on the last day (budget session) at least, the government declined. They brought Kolkata police personnel in civil dress to clash with 8-10 of our MLAs,” Adhikari added.

Demanding intervention of the Centre, the leader of the opposition pointed out that the Rampurhat incident by Anarul Hussain was seen inside by the TMC MLAs and the police. It has been alleged that BJP MLA Manoj Tigga was assaulted during the altercation, and TMC MLA Asit Majumdar also alleged that he was injured during the ruckus.

BJP leader Manoj Tigga told The Daily Guardian: “We were demanding a discussion on the deteriorating law and order in West Bengal, but our demands were denied. The security personnel and TMC MLAs attacked me and other BJP members. They punched me in the chest, and my left rib has got fractured. Almost 10-12 BJP members are injured.”

BJP MLA Narhari Mahato said: “We demanded the statement of the Chief Minister. We were doing the responsibility of the opposition MLAs. That’s when the treasury legislators attacked us.”

As per several reports, seven BJP MLAs, including Manoj Tigga, Sikha Chatterjee, Chandana Bauri Narahari Mahato, Nadiar Chand Bauri, Dr Ajay Poddar, Lakshan Ghorui have been admitted to Apollo Hospital.

“Absolute pandemonium in the West Bengal Assembly. After Bengal Governor, TMC MLAs now assault BJP MLAs, including Chief Whip Manoj Tigga, as they were demanding a discussion on the Rampurhat massacre on the floor of the house. What is Mamata Banerjee trying to hide?” BJP leader Amit Malviya tweeted along with a clip of the ruckus inside the Bengal assembly house.

West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim, who proposed the suspension of five BJP MLAs in the Assembly, said: “Such incidents in the Assembly are anti-democratic. It destroys the dignity of the Assembly.”

Blaming Adhikari for the unrest, Hakim said: “I have never seen such a hooligan opposition leader before.”

BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said: “The government is under so much pressure from all sides that they do not even know how to deal with the opposition. The government is losing its temper.”

CPM state secretary Mohammad Selim said: “In the past, some decent politicians used to come here and talk to people, but now it doesn’t happen. There is a lot going on.”

– With inputs from Arup Kali