This Article is From Dec 12, 2012

Congress' way of dealing with clashes in Bengal Assembly: Lawmakers wear helmets

Congress' way of dealing with clashes in Bengal Assembly: Lawmakers wear helmets
Kolkata: Congress lawmakers wore helmets to the West Bengal Assembly today to protest the free for all in the House yesterday that sent four MLAs to hospital. The Speaker had on Tuesday suspended three CPM MLAs - Amjad Hussain, Najimul Haq and Sushanta Besra - after the brawl. One CPM MLA Gaurango Chattopadhyay was rushed to hospital.

The Congress and Left MLA walked out of the House this morning after the Speaker dismissed Opposition demand for an all-party meeting or the withdrawal of suspension of the three CPM MLAs.

Left MLAs are holding a sit-in protest on the stairs leading to the House. The CPM Politburo has condemned the violence in the Assembly yesterday.

Trouble started in the first half of the Assembly session On Tuesday when the Opposition's adjournment motion on chit funds was admitted but a discussion was disallowed. When Opposition leader Surjo Kanto Mishra rose to read the motion, he said the Opposition's motion had been severely edited and that the Opposition was not being allowed to speak.

At this, Left MLAs rushed to the well of the House and began protesting. Treasury MLAs claim there were attempts to attack the Speaker. The clash continued even after the Speaker left the House. The Opposition MLAs then walked out.

When the House reconvened, Trinamool's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee protested the behaviour of the Left MLAs. The Speaker then announced that three Left MLAs were being suspended. The Left MLAs once again rushed to the well of the House. The Trinamool MLAs also rushed to the spot; one of them pulled the hair of a woman MLA, Debolina Hembrom. The woman fell down under the impact. After that, a physical fight ensued in the House.

The Congress and Left MLAs then walked out of the House and met the Governor.

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