Kolkata, India: The West Bengal Assembly session was marked by intense pandemonium on Thursday, culminating in the suspension of five BJP Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). The unrest began during the second half of the session when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was addressing the house, leading to a heated exchange and a physical confrontation.
Events Leading to Suspension
The day’s events unfolded during a debate on an alleged attack on the Bengali language and community. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul was scheduled to speak but was not present in the chamber when her name was called. Consequently, the Speaker invited the Chief Minister to begin her address. Shortly after, Paul entered the chamber, prompting BJP MLAs to loudly demand that she be allowed to speak.
In a rare move, Chief Minister Banerjee requested that the Speaker permit Paul to deliver her speech. The Speaker agreed but imposed a time limit, and Paul’s microphone was turned off after her allotted time. As the Chief Minister resumed her address, focusing on the issue of an “attack on the Bengali language,” Chief Whip Shankar Ghosh began shouting slogans, protesting the suspension of fellow BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and alleging a double standard in the assembly’s proceedings.
High-Tension Confrontation
Despite repeated warnings from the Speaker, Ghosh continued his protest, forcing the Chief Minister to stop speaking. This led the Speaker to suspend Ghosh from the assembly. However, Ghosh refused to leave his seat, and other BJP MLAs surrounded him, creating a standoff.
Marshals and security personnel were called in to forcibly remove him, but they were met with resistance from the supporting MLAs. The situation escalated into a major scuffle inside the chamber. The Chief Minister was seen descending into the well of the house to instruct her own party’s MLAs to return to their seats and restore order.
Series of Suspensions
The chaos continued even after the initial suspension. Following Ghosh, the Speaker announced the suspension of four more BJP MLAs: Agnimitra Paul, Mihir Goswami, Ashok Dinda, and Bankim Ghosh. The suspension of Goswami led to another physical altercation, with security personnel reportedly carrying him out of the assembly.
In total, five BJP MLAs were suspended in a span of two hours, bringing the day’s session to a dramatic and contentious end. The events have highlighted the ongoing political tensions within the state legislature and are expected to fuel further debate in the coming days.