Stormy scenes in Bengal Assembly: 5 BJP MLAs suspended, CM's speech disrupted, legislators fall ill

Kolkata, Sep 4 (PTI) Uproarious scenes and high drama on the concluding day of the special session on Thursday turned the West Bengal Assembly into a cauldron of chaos, as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's speech was repeatedly drowned out by slogan-shouting, leading to the suspension of five BJP MLAs and the collapse of two legislators during forcible eviction.

The session had been convened to discuss the alleged harassment of Bengalis in other states and the "insult" to Bengali language.

Instead, it quickly spiralled into a political battlefield as ruling TMC and opposition BJP legislators hurled accusations of being "thieves", stormed the Well of the House, and had to be physically separated by security personnel and marshalls.

The drama began just before Banerjee rose to speak.

BJP legislators, led by Chief Whip Shankar Ghosh, erupted in protest against the suspension of Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on September 2, shouting slogans of "Chor Chor" and questioning under which rule he was suspended for the entire special session.

TMC members retaliated with cries of "Vote Chor BJP" and "Joy Bangla," turning the chamber into a shouting match.

Speaker Biman Banerjee repeatedly urged Ghosh to sit down and allow the CM to speak, but he refused.

The Speaker then suspended him for disorderly conduct and summoned marshals to escort him out.

When Ghosh refused to leave, marshals were called in to escort him out physically, an act that sparked further uproar from opposition benches.

As they attempted to drag him away, BJP MLA Mihir Goswami blocked the doorway, leading to pushing and shoving between security personnel and legislators.

Amid the melee, Ghosh collapsed on the ground and complained of uneasiness. Marshals had to carry him out as BJP legislators screamed in protest.

He was later admitted to a hospital.

Party sources said BJP president JP Nadda personally called to enquire about his condition.

The Speaker went on to suspend four more BJP MLAs — Mihir Goswami, Ashok Dinda, Bankim Ghosh, and Agnimitra Paul — for sustained disruptions.

Paul walked out on her own after being named, while Goswami had to be forcibly carried out in the traditional "pajhakola" (lifted by arms and legs) style by marshals.

Bankim Ghosh, who had previously undergone a heart stent procedure, also reportedly fell ill amid the commotion and was hospitalised.

Despite the din, Banerjee pressed on with her speech, pausing frequently as both sides stormed the Well of the House.

At one point, she left her chair to scold her own party colleagues, Humayun Kabir and Nirmal Ghosh, for charging toward the opposition benches.

"If you don't listen to me, I will request the Speaker to suspend you too," she warned her own MLAs, visibly exasperated at the lack of order.

Accusing the BJP of sabotaging a serious discussion for "narrow political gains," the chief minister said: "Why is the BJP not allowing me to speak in this House? They were behaving like evil forces, like the demon Ravan." Taking the political battle to a nationalist pitch, Banerjee alleged the BJP was fostering "linguistic terrorism" and was "anti-Bengali." "You are against Bengali. We are not against any language. Had you been in power, the national anthem wouldn't have been Jana Gana Mana. You call speaking Bengali anti-national. The people will not forgive you," she said.

As BJP MLAs shouted "Mamata Chor," Banerjee countered by raising slogans inside the House: "Modi is the biggest thief. Modi thief, Amit Shah thief, BJP thief." She added, "BJP is a vote chor, they have stolen people's mandate to win elections." The Speaker ordered that the opposition slogans not be recorded in the House proceedings, further angering BJP legislators.

Later, speaking at a cultural programme held inside the Assembly premises, Banerjee praised the Speaker for his handling of the turmoil.

"Despite so much chaos today, the way Bimanda controlled the situation was commendable! He's a lawyer, after all, so he is used to this," she quipped.

On the suspension of the BJP MLAs, she drew a parallel with Delhi.

"In Delhi too, Several opposition MPs were suspended together. But we waited patiently, hoping they would come to their senses," she remarked.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders outside the House accused the Speaker and the ruling party of bias and harassment.

Adhikari told reporters, "If they don't want the Leader of the Opposition or BJP MLAs in the House, we will boycott it. What happened today is the darkest day in the history of Bengal's legislature." Adhikari alleged that Bankim Ghosh's health condition deteriorated because of the scuffle.

"Ghosh has undergone a stent procedure earlier. What happened today endangered his life. I have sent photos and videos of the incident to our national president," he said.

The day ended with the resolution being passed through a voice vote in the absence of BJP members, who staged a walkout in protest just after Banerjee ended her speech.

The Assembly special session, originally meant to focus on the dignity of the Bengali language and the safety of Bengalis in other states, will instead be remembered for the bedlam that marked its closing day. PTI PNT MNB