BJP stages walkout from Bengal Assembly over tea garden land freehold debate

Kolkata: BJP members on Wednesday staged a walkout from the West Bengal Assembly, protesting the Speaker's refusal to allow a discussion on an adjournment motion over the proposed allowing of 30 per cent tea garden land to be made freehold for tourism purposes.

Speaker Biman Banerjee, while withholding consent to a discussion on the adjournment motion brought by some BJP members, allowed party legislator Vishal Lama to read out the motion.

The Speaker said that the issue could be discussed during the session and there was no need for an adjournment motion to be allowed over it.

Protesting Banerjee's decision, the BJP MLAs raised slogans and walked out of the House.

Reading out the motion, Lama said that at the recently held Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), it had been announced by the state that 30 per cent land of tea gardens would be allowed to be made freehold for promoting tourism-related activities.