High drama unfolded in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Monday as Speaker Biman Banerjee suspended four Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs following an intense ruckus during the session. The suspended legislators — Chief Whip Shankar Ghosh, Manoj Orao, Deepak Barman and Agnimitra Paul — were removed from the House amid a scuffle with marshals, escalating tensions further inside the assembly.
As marshals attempted to escort the suspended MLAs out of the chamber, a physical altercation ensued. Several BJP legislators, including Purulia MLA Sudeep Mukherjee, allegedly grabbed marshals by their collars. In the chaos, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Mihir Goswami fell to the floor and Shankar Ghosh’s glasses were broken in the crowd's pressure. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari later lodged a formal complaint with the Speaker regarding the incident.
The confrontation also left several assembly staff injured, including Marshal Debabrata Mukherjee, Deputy Marshal Tanmay Banerjee and women employees Aditi Mukherjee, Piyali Bal and Reshma Khatun. All injured personnel were given first aid on-site.
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Even as the four suspended MLAs were being led out, BJP legislators continued shouting slogans, including cries of “Anti-Hindu government is no longer needed!” creating a volatile atmosphere within the House.
The confrontation is the latest in a series of disruptions that have marred the Monsoon Session of the Assembly. BJP MLAs have repeatedly protested on various issues, often leading to walkouts and verbal spats. On Monday, that tension spilled over into physical confrontation.
The session had begun on a tense note when BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri questioned the Speaker's decision to expunge one of his previous remarks from the Assembly records. Lahiri contended that his statement was not offensive and demanded an explanation. Soon after, BJP MLAs stormed the well of the House, tearing papers and chanting slogans, defying warnings from Speaker Banerjee to restore order.
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In a separate development, Speaker Banerjee announced the postponement of the scheduled Question and Answer session, citing the ongoing flood situation in several districts due to heavy rainfall. He said several ministers, under the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, were visiting flood-affected areas and were unable to attend the session. As tensions escalated in the House, State Minister Arup Biswas called on the Speaker to suspend the BJP MLAs responsible for the disruptions. Responding to the request, Speaker Banerjee announced the suspension of four MLAs, a decision that triggered the ensuing scuffle.
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