TMC moves breach of privilege motion in assembly against Suvendu for 'defamatory’ remarks on Mamata

Kolkata, Jun 10 (PTI) A section of senior TMC MLAs on Tuesday moved a breach of privilege motion against Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari for making “defamatory and untrue” remarks against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee outside the assembly premises, Speaker Biman Banerjee said.

The motion, submitted to the Speaker, was in response to Adhikari’s alleged statements to the media claiming that the CM, during her speech on the floor of the House earlier in the day, had “sung praises for Pakistan, and with eloquence that not even its Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ever done”.

The complaint against Adhikari was signed by ministers Chandrima Bhattacharya, Shovandeb Chattopadhyay, Arup Biswas, Indranil Sen and MLA Nirmal Ghosh, with mayor and minister Firhad Hakim likely to add his ink on Wednesday, a Trinamool Congress leader said.

“I have received the motion but I am yet to examine or admit it. I will go through it in due time and forward it to the privilege committee of the state assembly if I deem fit. I may also reject it, if I find the complaint unsubstantiated,” the Speaker told PTI.

One of the signatories to the complaint added: “Such comments against our chief minister were downright defamatory and disrespectful. She never uttered a word in favour of Pakistan during her speech. We have the LoP’s recorded statement on a flash drive based on which we drafted the motion.” The floor of the assembly witnessed chaotic scenes during the day after the CM, while addressing the House on a resolution lauding the armed forces for their military strikes on terror hubs across the western border, launched a blistering attack on the Union government over the Pahalgam incident.

She demanded the resignation of the BJP-led dispensation, alleging it had "failed" to provide security to the people of the country.

Banerjee also said that India had a "golden opportunity" to reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during the military conflict, but failed to act decisively, while questioning the efficiency of BJP-led Centre's diplomatic strategy to globally corner Pakistan.

Her remarks were vociferously countered by the opposition bench, who demanded the inclusion of the term ‘Operation Sindoor’, which was conspicuously missing from the resolution.

Emerging from the debate, Adhikari told reporters, “The chief minister showered praises on Pakistan. Even Shahbaz Sharif doesn’t sing such praises for his country. She scorned PM Modi and HM Amit Shah, while batting for Pakistan.” The Speaker, however, felt that the CM’s statements were “misinterpreted” by the opposition leader.

“His comments were unwarranted and unfortunate. It seems to have been made in gross misinterpretation of the chief minister’s statements. They brought disrepute to the House,” he told reporters.

If admitted, the Speaker would then forward the complaint to the assembly’s privilege committee headed by its Deputy Speaker Ashish Banerjee, an official said.

The committee may then summon Adhikari to speak in self defence and decide whether any disciplinary action would be taken against him, he said.

Adhikari, along with three other BJP MLAs, were suspended from the assembly for a month by the Speaker in February this year on grounds of unparliamentary behaviour.

Later, a censure motion was also passed by the House against the Leader of Opposition for certain controversial remarks outside the assembly. PTI SMY RBT