Kolkata: Pandemonium broke out within the West Bengal Assembly on Monday, the sixth day of the Monsoon Session, after BJP legislators disrupted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s address. The uproar led to the suspension of BJP MLA Manoj Kumar Oraon, who represents the Kumargram constituency in Alipurduar district.
While the duration of Oraon’s suspension remains unspecified, the announcement by Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay triggered strong backlash. BJP members protested on the House floor before staging a walkout.
Following the walkout, the legislators launched a sit-in protest on the Assembly lawn, displaying posters condemning Oraon’s suspension.
The ruckus started after the Chief Minister rose to deliver her speech and attacked the Union government on the freezing of funds under different centrally sponsored projects in West Bengal.
“The Union government has stopped payment under the MGNREGA scheme. The dues to the West Bengal government under different centrally sponsored projects are being diverted to other states.
"Several investigation teams have come to West Bengal, and in all the cases, the state government answered their queries. But even after that, the payments have been stopped,” the Chief Minister said.
During her speech, BJP legislators, led by Chief Whip Shankar Ghosh, began raising slogans in protest. In response, Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay announced the suspension of BJP MLA Manoj Kumar Oraon.
As the protest unfolded, the Chief Minister remarked that Bengali-speaking people are often unfairly branded as Bangladeshis and harassed in some states.
Earlier in the day, BJP members had demanded a discussion on the condition of the state's education system. The Speaker rejected the request, citing the matter's sub judice status. BJP legislators contested the decision, pointing out that sub judice topics had previously been debated in the House.
(inputs from IANS)