The ruling Trinamool Congress on Tuesday moved a privilege motion in the West Bengal Assembly against Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari for his remarks allegedly describing the state government as “communal” and a “government of terrorists”.
This comes a day after Adhikari along with three other BJP MLAs — Agnimitra Paul, Bishwanath Karak and Bankim Ghosh — was suspended from the Assembly for allegedly insulting the “chair of the Speaker” during an uproar over the Opposition party’s claims that Saraswati Puja was “not allowed” in the state.
The privilege motion was moved by TMC Chief Whip Nirmal Ghosh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim and Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Aroop Biswas on Tuesday.
Emphasising that the Assembly should “not be considered weak”, Speaker Biman Banerjee said Adhikari delivered a “provocative” speech and urged him to issue a public apology.
Meanwhile, the BJP MLAs on Tuesday raised Jai Shri Ram slogans on the Assembly premises, accusing the TMC government of being “anti-Hindu”. “Our suspension has not been taken well by Hindus of the state,” Adhikari said.
In a statement, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chattopadhyay condemned Adhikari’s comments, saying, “The comments made by the Leader of Opposition in front of journalists are not appropriate. Telling the government means telling us. We are insulted by these comments. So, we brought the privilege motion.”
“Such an incident never happened in the history of the Legislative Assembly. He is doing politics with religion. Let him go out and prove that he is a big Hindu. They are neither Hindu nor Muslim. They are doing all this for vote bank politics,” he added.
Soon after his suspension, Adhikari had said on Monday, “We are the only Opposition (in Bengal). The House belongs to the Opposition. We have won on the Hindus’ vote. We will raise our voice for them. This government is anti-Hindu.”
The BJP also claimed MLA Biswanath Karak was not even present in the House when the motion to suspend the legislators was moved.
On this, Speaker Banerjee said, “If Karak thinks he was not present in the House, he can go to the Privilege Committee.”
On Adhikari, the Speaker said, “He (Adhikari) was suspended because a motion was moved by a member of the House. He was suspended for 30 days or until the end of the session. The manner in which he behaved inside the House was extremely disgraceful. I have examined the privilege motion and I am quite satisfied with it. Therefore, I have forwarded it to the Privilege Committee… He (Adhikari) tore the papers and threw them at the chair. I don’t think it is dignified on the part of the Leader of the Opposition.”
Speaking to mediapersons on Monday, Adhikari had said, “Useless Speaker… The Chief Minister doesn’t come (to the House). She keeps an eye on us and only appears in the House whenever we’re not there. They have suspended BJP MLAs four times… They have intentionally targeted those who participate well in debates and question and answer sessions. Agnimitra Paul was protesting from her seat. Why has she been suspended?”