Kolkata: The Bengal Assembly witnessed high drama on Monday after BJP MLA Manoj Kumar Oraon was marshalled out and suspended for a day for allegedly trying to disrupt the proceedings of the House.
Soon after the question-and-answer Session on Monday, the Speaker rejected a motion concerning alleged corruption in the education sector brought by some BJP legislators, stating that it was sub judice. Following this, the BJP MLA raised slogans allegedly trying to disrupt the proceedings of the House. Even after the Speaker’s repeated request to maintain decorum on the Assembly floor, the BJP continued their protest. The Speaker then announced the suspension of Oraon for the entire day from the Assembly proceedings.
The BJP MLAs then staged a protest sit-in at the Assembly lobby. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who took part in the question-and-answer Session and was present in the Assembly said: “They don’t want to be part of any meaningful discussion or debate. All they do is launch slander campaigns against the state government and Trinamool Congress. They even raise obscene slogans,” she said. Banerjee referred to a recent incident when state BJP president, Sukanta Majumdar, who is also a minister of state in the Union Cabinet, threw a slipper at a Punjabi police officer near her Kalighat residence.
“This has angered the Punjabi community and they have officially condemned the act,” said Banerjee. Majumdar was demonstrating against violence in Maheshtala and was briefly detained by police.
Taking a sarcastic jibe, Banerjee said: “If you love flip-flops so much, why not open a flip-flop store? Show the income in your black-and-white records and pay tax. Front side flip-flop, backside gobble-up!” She further predicted a complete wipeout for the BJP in the next Assembly polls. “The way you are humiliating me, I believe you will become zero in 2026,” the TMC chairperson said. Speaker Biman Banerjee also expressed disapproval of the Opposition’s behaviour.
“It is the collective responsibility of all members to uphold the dignity of the House. The rulebook clearly outlines how MLAs should conduct themselves. Many from the ruling party urged me to evict the entire opposition, but I chose not to. I believe that they
will eventually come to their senses — if not today, then tomorrow,” he said.