Opposition protest causes chaos in Assembly

Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Assembly on Monday after Congress and Left Front MLAs staged a walk-out, demanding a discussion on the violence that took place during the Municipal polls on May 14.

Pandemonium erupted in the Assembly after Manoj Chakraborty of Congress and Tanmoy Bhattacharya of CPI(M) went to the well and covered it with a piece of black cloth as a mark of protest. They alleged that paramilitary forces had been deployed in the Hills and not in the plains where votes had been looted. Trinamool Congress workers had unleashed a reign of terror and did not allow genuine voters to go near the polling stations, alleged the Opposition. They claimed that the TMC had also intimidated voters.

Meanwhile, Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay requested them to return to their seats.

"Some students have come to see the proceedings of the House and such behavior on the part of the MLAs is uncalled for. This would create a bad precedent for the students," he said.

The Left Front and Congress legislators shouted slogans. Meanwhile, the Speaker asked the ministers to reply to the questions. The Congress and Left Front ministers left the Assembly hall shouting slogans.

Partha Chatterjee, state Parliamentary Affairs minister said: "The Congress and Left parties are feeling threatened as people have rejected them and they are trying to disrupt the Assembly session by creating trouble." He claimed that the vote had been conducted peacefully and in a festive ambience. "People have supported the development carried out by the state government," he said.