What Caused the Ruckus in Bengal Assembly Over the Breach of Privilege Motion Against Suvendu Adhikari?

Synopsis
In a dramatic turn of events, the West Bengal Assembly witnessed unprecedented chaos as the ruling party accused the Leader of the Opposition of derogatory remarks against the Chief Minister. This unfolding tension raises questions about political decorum and accountability in legislative proceedings. Read on to find out more about this explosive incident!
Key Takeaways
- Political tensions in West Bengal are escalating.
- The breach of privilege motion highlights the conflict between ruling and opposition parties.
- Assembly decorum is increasingly challenged by political disputes.
- The outcome of the privilege committee review could have significant ramifications.
- Media interactions are becoming a contentious issue in political discourse.
Kolkata, June 11 (NationPress) Chaos erupted in the West Bengal Assembly on the third day of the Monsoon session as several legislators from the Treasury bench introduced a motion for breach of privilege against the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari. They accused him of making misleading and derogatory remarks about Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The motion was initiated by Trinamool Congress legislators, who claimed that during a media interaction outside the Assembly on Tuesday, LoP Adhikari accused the Chief Minister of aligning with Pakistan's narrative regarding the recent “Operation Sindoor”. This operation involved the Indian Armed Forces targeting several terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir last month.
During the afternoon's Question Hour, Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay addressed the issue, informing the House that five Trinamool Congress legislators—Shovandeb Chattopadhyay, Arup Biswas, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Nirmal Ghosh, and Indranil Sen—had submitted the breach of privilege motion against LoP Adhikari.
Stating that such remarks by the LoP about Chief Minister Banerjee undermined the House's sanctity, the Speaker announced that the matter would be forwarded to the privilege committee. This committee is expected to deliver its report by the end of the Monsoon session, which will last for two more weeks.
Although LoP Adhikari was absent from the House during this incident, BJP legislators, led by the party's Chief Whip in the Assembly, Shankar Ghosh, strongly opposed the breach of privilege motion.
The BJP members became further agitated due to the Speaker's decision to expunge Ghosh's statement from the records.
The BJP legislators initiated protests both within the House and later staged a walkout.
“On one hand, the Speaker is preventing our MLAs from referencing any statements made by Trinamool Congress members outside the House. On the other hand, a breach of privilege motion against the Leader of the Opposition based on his external statements is accepted. Isn’t this contradictory?” Ghosh remarked.