Key Points
- Four BJP legislators suspended including Agnimitra Paul and Suvendu Adhikari
"The plot of suspension has been in practice for quite some time. The treasury bench mainly targets the leader of the opposition and the most vocal legislators on critical issues during crucial sessions of the House. Mostly the most eloquent speakers on the floor of the House are targeted," LoP Adhikari told media persons.
Besides Adhikari, the three other BJP legislators who were suspended included fashion designer-turned-politician Agnimitra Paul, Bankim Ghosh and Biswanath Karak.
The Leader of the Opposition also claimed that these legislators were targeted and suspended without any valid reason. "Biswanath Karak was not on the floor of the Assembly when we were protesting. Ghosh was protesting but from his chair and he did not come down to the well of the House. Paul also did not come down to the well. This is the fourth time since 2021, that BJP legislators, including the leader of the opposition, have been suspended from the House," Adhikari said.
He also claimed that he was supposed to participate in the debate on the Governor's speech at the beginning of the budget session on Tuesday and so he was suspended a day before so that he would not be able to present his views in the House.
The four BJP legislators were suspended after they protested following an adjournment motion brought by Paul on attacks on different Hindu religious festivals in the state, especially during the Saraswati Puja earlier this month, The motion was not admitted for discussion on this issue though Paul was allowed to read it out on the floor of the House.
The Speaker of the House, Biman Bandopadhyay told the media persons that the four BJP legislators have been suspended since they resorted to unruly behaviour in the house by tearing apart the Assembly papers and then throwing the pieces towards the Speaker's chair.
