BJP-Trinamool clash turns ugly in assembly; MLAs, Marshals injured, FIR filed

Kolkata: At least 14 security personnel and several BJP MLAs were injured in the state assembly following a scuffle between the BJP legislators and the Marshals, who were called by the Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay to remove the BJP MLAs from the House after a privilege motion was brought in by the ruling party Trinamool Congress. Four BJP MLAs, including BJP chief whip Shankar Ghosh, were suspended.

Chaos broke out in the assembly on Monday afternoon after the BJP legislators demanded that Ghosh and others be heard regarding expunging former chief economic advisor Ashok Lahiri's speech. When Shankar Ghosh requested to speak on the issue, the Speaker did not allow him, which triggered the protest by the BJP MLAs, who tore the assembly documents and flung them in the air.

Before this, Lahiri, quoting assembly rules, requested the Speaker that his speech should not be expunged.

"Two enquiries will be done on the issue. The security personnel and marshals got injured and they have been treated and they have submitted the papers to me," the Speaker said. "Some microphones have been destroyed, and tables have been damaged."

The Speaker warned the BJP MLAs and then a privilege motion was moved by Trinamool Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhondeb Chatterjee, following which the Speaker suspended four MLAs -- Shankar Ghosh, Manoj Oraon, Agnimitra Paul and Dipak Barman.

The Speaker said, "The MLAs, who are in the assembly, must understand how to maintain the dignity of the House. After Lahiri made an observation and I replied also. I have requested both the ruling and the opposition MLAs. They did not listen to me...they were excited. They were tearing the assembly documents. I was forced to suspend four MLAs for this session. They were not willing to leave. So, the Marshals were called to make them leave the House."

There was a scuffle in the floor of the House among the Marshals, security personnel and the BJP MLAs. The BJP legislators shouted slogans and refused to leave. The Marshals dragged the four MLAs. Shankar Ghosh fell while being dragged on the ground and his spectacles broke.

Later, Ghosh's blood pressure shot up and he was referred to a cardiologist by the doctors present in the Assembly.

Agnimitra Paul told ET, "I protested inside the House with the other BJP MLAs but a TMC MLA shouted at me using abusive language. I was dragged by the women security personnel and I was injured. My sari was also torn."