Frisking of cars at Bengal Assembly gate routine, not imposed following stir: Speaker

Kolkata: Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Friday asserted that strict security measures for vehicles entering the assembly premises are part of standard operating procedure and were not imposed following any protest.

Banerjee was asked by reporters inside his chamber about the checking of every car dicky and bonnet with hand-held detectors by security personnel at the gate since morning hours on Friday.

The Speaker, however, insisted that it was not a sudden measure aimed at any political party, but part of the SOP to ensure the security of the Assembly complex.

Asked if the checking of cars looked more stringent from Friday, he said: “No, it has been there always.”

Incidentally, during a protest by BJP MLAs on the floor of the House on June 12, the saffron camp legislators were seen wearing headgear and scarves of saffron colour and carrying photographs purported images of some incidents of communal violence in different parts of Bengal.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari was also seen carrying a potted Tulsi plant on his head while marching from inside the Assembly premises to Raj Bhavan.

Emphasising that security measures were not aimed at singling out Tulsi plants from being brought inside the Assembly premises, Banerjee said: “What will happen if bombs are hidden under a potted plant?”

He underscored that the Assembly hall is not a place to bring objects and tools meant for protest.