Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 23 : In a significant political drama that unfolded inside the West Bengal Legislative Assembly today, four BJP MLAs -- Dipak Burman, Shankar Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, and Manoj Oraon -- were suspended for the remainder of the session by Speaker Biman Banerjee. The suspension was followed by loud protests and slogan-chanting by the suspended MLAs during a discussion over the expunging of certain remarks made in the House earlier.
The disruption escalated quickly, leading to the Speaker suspending the MLAs.
"We were only exercising our right to protest, but marshals were called in and we were thrown out. The opposition is being continuously silenced and attacked inside the House," said one of the suspended MLAs while speaking to reporters outside the Assembly's main lobby gate.
Later, visuals from the scene emerged, showing the suspended BJP leaders and others holding banners and chanting slogans at the Assembly's main entrance. They accused the ruling party of suppressing dissent and misusing legislative procedures to silence opposition voices. They demanded answers from the speaker regarding the unfair treatment of the opposition.
BJP has been accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and her government of treating the opposition unfairly and silencing their voices.
BJP leader Amit Malviya called the West Bengal government's action authoritarian panic.
"West Bengal is witnessing an undeclared Emergency. BJP MLAs are assaulted inside the Assembly, the Leader of Opposition is insulted for raising people's issues -- all under Mamata Banerjee's watch. This isn't governance. This is authoritarian panic. Mamata Banerjee is on her last leg as Chief Minister, and the TMC's draconian tactics reveal just how nervous they are about losing ground," he posted on X.
One of the suspended MLAs, Anghamitra Paul, alleged that the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was subject to intimidation and physical harassment
"Inside the hallowed premises of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, a brazen assault on democracy unfolded. In a shocking display of authoritarianism, I, along with three other BJP MLAs, was physically manhandled and forcibly evicted by marshals--an act that reeks of sheer political vendetta. Our only 'crime' was daring to voice the concerns of the very people who elected us. What's even more deplorable is the disgraceful episode where the Leader of the Opposition was subjected to intimidation and physical harassment by female marshals--a calculated attempt to humiliate and suppress dissent. In vehement protest against this undemocratic and tyrannical behaviour, the BJP Legislative Party staged a resolute sit-in demonstration in the corridors of the Assembly. We will not be silenced. We will not bow down. The voice of the people cannot be crushed under the jackboot of TMC's legislative fascism, " she said.
The LoP in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, accused the Marshals of using force against the BJP MLAs.
"The treasury bench opposed the speech of Shankar Ghosh. And today we raised our voices on the floor of the House. They suspended five of our MLAs and used marshals. The marshals and security personnel, who acted like TMC goons, beat up the BJP MLAs. Several of our MLAs were injured, " he alleged.