Kolkata: BJP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari has been suspended from the entire winter session for his alleged unconstitutional behavior in the Assembly. The winter session, which began on November 24 will continue till December 7.
The suspension came after Opposition MLAs created a ruckus in the House during a discussion on 'Constitution Day' on Tuesday. Despite repeated warnings from the Speaker, the BJP legislators came down to the well of the Assembly raising slogans against ruling party MLAs arrested in scams. They carried posters slamming the state government and later staged a walk out.
After Speaker suspended Adhikari, the BJP legislature party said they would bring a no-confidence motion against Banerjee.
Speaking during the discussions on 'Constitution Day', BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh claimed that there are many MLAs who have won in the Assembly under BJP's symbol and later defected but are still holding onto their posts without resigning as MLAs.
Raising objections to Ghosh's comments, Speaker said that the figure that has been officially issued from the BJP is being considered and ordered to expunge the statement. Opposing this, Adhikari said that the Speaker had not spoken on the lines of the Constitution and got down to the well to protest. He tore the papers and threw those at the Speaker. Then, the BJP MLAs staged a walk-out terming the Speaker's decision "unconstitutional".
After the BJP legislators left, Banerjee said that such a behavior of the Opposition Leader is not desirable and said that a motion for violation of rights will be brought against him. Later on, Trinamool Congress MLA Tapas Roy moved a motion for action against Adhikari. "It is very sad that today is 'Constitution Day' and we were having discussions on it. What will he discuss who has never held the book of Constitution in his hand? Is this BJP's party office? Can such a thing be said against the Speaker?".
Demanding his suspension from the House, Roy said, "He is saying that he has done the right thing and would do it again. We have never seen the Opposition leader behaving like this. He lacks education and has no political culture. It is painful to sit and watch this. Suvendu Adhikari should be suspended for his conduct from the winter session.''
State minister Bratya Basu supported him dubbing the LoP's behaviour as "political constipation". After which, Banerjee suspended Adhikari for the entire winter session.
Meanwhile, the Adhikari claimed the suspension to be "biased". "Although it is the responsibility of the Speaker to protect the Constitution, he failed to fulfill this responsibility," he said. BJP will move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker. The proposal will be submitted to the secretary today.
According to party sources, the BJP legislature party will not attend the session tomorrow due to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's meeting. BJP general secretary Manoj Tigga wrote to the Speaker urging not to hold the session on Wednesday but the Speaker disagreed so, the BJP MLAs said that they would not attend to the session.
Notably, on March 28, 2022, five BJP MLAs including Adhikari were suspended and prior to which, two BJP MLAs had also been suspended. Following court's intervention, the suspension of the seven MLAs were withdrawn.
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