Chaos in West Bengal Assembly over Motion to Condemn “Attacks” on Bengali-Speaking Migrants in BJP-Ruled States
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 4: Amid the alleged ongoing row over targeting of Bengali-speaking migrants in different BJP-ruled States, the West Bengal Assembly on Thursday witnessed high drama and chaotic situation with both the ruling party and opposition calling each other “thieves” as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee delivered a blistering attack on the BJP after the opposition attempted to disrupt her address in the House against the “humiliation of the Bengali language.”
Tensions erupted when Speaker Biman Banerjee called in marshals to evict BJP MLA and party’s chief whip, Dr Sankar Ghosh, following his suspension. BJP legislators stormed the well, chanting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans and stalling proceedings, even as the Trinamool Congress-led government sought to pass a motion condemning attacks on Bengali migrant workers in BJP-ruled states.
As she was about to begin, the BJP chief whip Shankar Ghosh sought an explanation from Speaker on why the Leader of Opposition had been suspended for the entire session. When the Speaker refused, BJP MLAs began shouting slogans, disrupting the CM’s address.
Annoyed, Banerjee told TMC legislators, “They are disrupting my speech… when the BJP speaks, you people should disrupt them.” Both sides then hurled slogans at each other, causing nearly 15 minutes of uproar.
During the discussion over a resolution on targeting Bengali-speaking migrants in different parts of the country, BJP MLAs disrupted the speech of Ms Banerjee seeking to know why the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari was suspended. This led to heated arguments between Treasury and Opposition benches.
Sankar Ghosh was suspended and was forced out of House by security personnel. The Speaker also suspended four other BJP members including Agnimitra Paul, Mihir Goswami, Ashok Dinda, and Bamkin Ghosh for creating ruckus. Adhikari was suspended from the Assembly earlier this week for the remaining part of this special session for “disrupting proceedings.”
The Trinamool Congress has tabled a motion under Rule 169, citing the recent incidents, including the alleged torture of a migrant worker in BJP-ruled states, to highlight the “persecution faced by Bengalis” outside Bengal.
Amid the din, Banerjee rose to speak, accusing the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being “anti-Bengal” and blocking discussions on harassment of Bengalis. In her speech, Mamata launched a sharp attack on the BJP, saying, “They (BJP) are again bringing CAA and NRC before the Assembly election in Bengal. They are basically anti-Bengali. They humiliate Bengalis.” Visibly angry, she raised slogans in the House: “Modi is the biggest thief. Modi thief, BJP thief.” She added, “BJP is trying to stop my speech; if they behead, I will continue to speak for Bengali.”
“BJP is a party of the corrupt, a party of vote thieves. They are the biggest dacoit party. We saw in Parliament how they used the CISF to harass our MPs. Bangla-birodi BJP hatao desh bachao (remove anti-Bengal BJP, save the country),” the Chief Minister said amid sloganeering by the opposition MLAs.
Her attack grew sharper as she warned the Opposition benches, “After Independence, a party which had no role in the freedom movement is now the largest robber in the country. They pit one community against another. They betrayed our nation and supported the British. They did communal division. Mark my words, a day will come when not a single BJP MLA will sit in this House. People will throw you out of power. They are an autocratic power. The Modi and Amit Shah-led government at the Centre will collapse soon,” Banerjee said.
The Chief Minister also claimed that the BJP was against discussion in the Assembly on attacks on migrants as atrocities against Bengali migrants were happening in states ruled by saffron party. Accusing the Opposition of deliberately disrupting her, Banerjee said, “I’m shocked. They deliberately did that so that people cannot hear my words, this is their programme to stop my voice. They were not present in the morning. They came shortly before I arrived. When the name was called, they did not speak. When they completed their speech, they started chaos. I would say, my voice cannot be stopped.”
Shankar Ghosh was suspended for the rest of the day for creating a ruckus inside the Legislative Assembly. The suspension came after BJP MLAs began raising slogans as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was about to speak on the resolution.
When Ghosh refused to leave, assembly marshals were called in, and he was dragged out of the House. The Chief Minister slammed the BJP legislators for their “unparliamentary conduct”, accusing them of trying to disrupt a crucial debate on the rights and safety of Bengali migrant workers.
Responding to the chaos, Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, alleged that democracy was murdered by the Mamata Banerjee-led government. “Today, in the West Bengal Assembly, democracy was murdered by the democracy-killer Mamata and her servile administration,” Adhikari wrote in an X post in Bengali.
Later, he reached the Bengal Assembly and launched a scathing attack on Mamata Banerjee, calling the entire TMC cadre ‘gundas’ (goons). “Entire TMC cadre are gunda. They brutally attacked and physically assaulted Sankar Ghosh. The entire proceedings were instigated by thief Mamata Banerjee. She is the biggest thief of Bengal,” Adhikari said while speaking to reporters outside the Assembly.
