Bengal Assembly: Speaker refuses to allow motion on attacks during Hindu festivals, BJP walks out

Kolkata, Nov 29 (IANS) The BJP MLAs, on Friday, staged a walkout from the West Bengal Assembly after Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay refused to allow discussion on an adjournment motion brought to condemn the attacks on Hindu religious places at selected pockets in the state.

“Indian Constitution allows Right to Freedom of Religion under different articles is being violated again and again in West Bengal. At places like Falakata, Garden Reach, Shyampur, Rajabazar, Nodakhali and Beldanga among others, there had been instances where miscreants from a particular community obstructed different Hindu religious programmes. The state government has totally failed in preventing such acts of vandalism of the idols of gods and goddesses and setting fire. We demand that there should be a discussion on this issue in the House,” read the adjournment motion written in Bangla, a copy of which is available with IANS.

However, as the Speaker refused to move the adjournment motion and allow discussions on the above motion, BJP legislators, led by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, protested and finally staged a walkout from the House.

Later speaking to media persons in his room within the Assembly premises, Adhikari said that during the entire festive season this year, there was not a single festival where there had not been instances of such attacks.

“Even today, a temple of Lord Bajrangbali in Birbhum district was vandalized. In our adjournment motion, we did not name any particular community or any particular political party.," he said.

He said that even on Thursday Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not speak a single word on the burning issues of the state. “There is no question-hour session relating to affairs in the state police department which comes under the direct control of the Chief Minister,” the LoP said.

He also criticized the Speaker and accused him of behaving in a partisan manner as was evident again over the denial of the adjournment motion and discussions on it. “It is proved again that the current Speaker has politicised the chair which is above narrow political barriers,” the LoP said.

--IANS

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