Speaker rejects obituary proposal on RG Kar victim over ‘legal issues’

Kolkata: Speaker Biman Banerjee on Monday rejected the proposal of BJP to include the victim of rape and murder at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on the list of obituary references.

The session of Monday was slated to be adjourned after the obituary reference of former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who breathed his last on August 8. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari demanded that obituary reference should also be on the rape and murder of the

junior victim.

Banerjee did not allow Adhikari to place his proposal on the floor of the House on the ground that the name of the victim cannot be taken inside the Assembly. He read the reference on Bhattacharjee and after observing a minute silence, adjourned the session for the day. After doing so, the Speaker left the floor of the House followed by Trinamool Congress MLAs. Adhikari and the other BJP legislators however remained inside the House and sat in their respective seats for five minutes. Then the Leader of Opposition himself read the obituary reference and after observing a minute silence left the floor along with other saffron party legislators.

Banerjee later told reporters that the House does condemn such incidents. “There are some legal issues as the name of the victim cannot be taken on the Assembly floor so the proposal was turned down,” he said.

He further added that after the adjournment of the session, anything happening on the floor of the House is not included in the assembly record. Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, state Parliamentary Affairs minister said: “The demand of the Leader of Opposition was absurd. The name of a rape victim cannot be included in obituary reference. When the name cannot be taken such reference cannot be made.”

“I am well aware that as per directions of Supreme Court, a rape victim’s name cannot be taken . I had asked for an obituary reference without taking her name. But the Speaker did not allow it,” claimed Adhikari.