Kolkata: Speaker Biman Banerjee suspended BJP MLA, Dipak Barman, for a month after he threw a paper during the Assembly session and asked ‘marshal’ to escort two other BJP MLAs Manoj Oraon and Shankar Ghosh out of the Assembly session for Monday.
The BJP MLAs triggered chaos inside the Assembly when BJP MLA Hiran Chatterjee, during the discussion on the Budget, raised concerns about the functioning of the West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC). Chatterjee claimed that the WBPSC has been lying defunct as nobody is working there.
After he mentioned this, the Speaker asked him to stop but Chatterjee continued. The Speaker then asked for Chatterjee’s microphone to be muted. He then announced the name of a Trinamool Congress MLA who was to deliver a speech. The Speaker also ordered the expunging of Chatterjee’s comments, stating that they violated the legislative decorum.
Two other BJP MLAs Manoj Oraon and Shankar Ghosh then came out in front of the Speaker and started raising slogans against him. The disruption continued as BJP MLAs, led by Chief Whip Shankar Ghosh, tore up and threw papers in the House in protest. The speaker then ordered the marshal to escort them out of the Assembly.
The BJP MLAs then walked out from the Assembly and started protesting in front of the main gate of the Assembly against the “biased approach” of the Speaker.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari later condemned the Speaker’s actions and also alleged that the marshals had acted under the influence of the ruling party. Trinamool Congress MLAs, however, defended the Speaker’s decision, stating that the BJP was trying to disrupt the legislative proceedings.
State Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, criticised the BJP for raising questions about the effectiveness of state welfare schemes like Kanyashree and the Budget allocation but leaving the House when the minister rose to respond.
She also accused the BJP of trying to create unnecessary disruptions rather than engage in constructive dialogue.
Meanwhile, in a parallel development, the Opposition leader called a rally at the Speaker’s constituency Baruipur Paschim on March 19. The Speaker Banerjee however welcomed Adhikari’s call saying: “You are welcome. We will help you to set up the stage and put up microphones.”