Tripura Assembly Engages in Heated Dispute Over Minister's 'Racist' Comments
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Synopsis
The Tripura Assembly has been embroiled in controversy for the fourth day, sparked by allegations of racist remarks made by Minister Ratan Lal Nath towards LoP Jitendra Chaudhury. The opposition's response includes a boycott and protests, raising concerns about the integrity of the Speaker.
Key Takeaways
- Dispute in Tripura Assembly over Minister's comments.
- Opposition CPI-M boycotts Assembly sessions.
- Protests hold significance for political discourse.
- Speaker accused of biased conduct.
- Calls for dialogue to resolve tensions.
Agartala, March 27 (NationPress) The Tripura Assembly experienced tumultuous scenes for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday due to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath's alleged racist remarks directed at Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Jitendra Chaudhury.
In light of the turmoil, Chief Minister Manik Saha urged opposition members to attend the Assembly and engage in discussions on the annual Budget and other critical matters.
The opposition CPI-M declared on Wednesday their intention to boycott the remaining days of the ongoing Budget session, protesting against Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen's perceived partisan behavior and Minister Nath's racist comments.
Members of the Left organized a protest demonstration in front of the statue of B. R. Ambedkar within the Assembly complex to voice their concerns.
Former Minister and senior Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman implored Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen on Thursday to initiate dialogue with the CPI-M members to resolve the issue amicably.
Minister Nath, Speaker, and Tourism and Transport Minister Sushant Chowdhury were involved in a heated exchange with Roy Barman, resulting in over 15 minutes of contentious scenes.
Following their announcement on Wednesday, ten CPI-M members, led by LoP Chaudhury, did not attend the Assembly on Thursday.
The LoP submitted a privilege motion against Minister Nath on Tuesday; however, the Speaker dismissed the motion on Wednesday, stating that a privilege motion against the CPI-M's Tripura mouthpiece 'Daily Desher Kath' had been accepted, and according to the rules, two privilege motions cannot be acknowledged on the same day.
The privilege motion against 'Daily Desher Kath' was initiated by Minister Nath.
During the Zero Hour, when the Speaker announced the rejection of the LoP's privilege motion against Minister Nath, CPI-M members protested vigorously, creating chaos in the Assembly before the Left members exited.
LoP Chaudhury stated: "The Assembly Speaker is breaching traditions, decorum, and the democratic spirit, adopting a one-sided approach. He is functioning as a member of the treasury bench, neglecting his impartial role as Speaker. The Speaker operates the House under the explicit direction of the Parliamentary Affairs Minister."
Chaudhury, alongside other Left legislators, argued that the Speaker unethically and illegally dismissed his privilege motion against Minister Nath while accepting the latter's motion, despite Chaudhury's submission being in accordance with House norms.
"Since the BJP assumed power in 2018, democracy has been dismantled, leading to 'goonda raj' and total lawlessness in the state," asserted Chaudhury, who also serves as the state secretary of the CPI-M.
Both the Speaker and Minister Nath, however, refuted any such 'racist' statements, with Nath asserting that he had no intention of offending the opposition leader's community; he merely intended to comment on the 'mindset' of the CPI-M.
