Birbhum killings: MLAs come to blows in West Bengal Assembly

The Budget session of the West Bengal Assembly ended in an exchange of fisticuffs on Monday, as legislators of the TMC and the BJP came to blows after heated arguments over the Birbhum killings, prompting the Speaker to suspend five saffron party MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who was also accused of busting the nose of a rival MLA.
 

Shortly after the House assembled at 11 am, it plunged into pandemonium as BJP MLAs trooped to the well, demanding a statement by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the “worsening” law and order situation in the wake of the tragedy in Birbhum district, where eight people were burnt alive last week.
 

Speaker Biman Banerjee tried to pacify the BJP MLAs, who continued with sloganeering inside the House, leading to a war of words with legislators of the treasury bench and an eventual ugly scuffle.
 

Adhikari then walked out of the Assembly, claiming that TMC MLAs roughed up party legislators. “MLAs are not safe even inside the Assembly... At least 8-10 of our legislators were beaten up, including Chief Whip Manoj Tigga, by some TMC MLAs, as we demanded that the CM make a statement in the House on the law and order issue,” Adhikari said.
 

State minister Firhad Hakim claimed the BJP is staging a drama to create chaos in the assembly. "Few of our MLAs were injured inside the House. We condemn the conduct of the BJP," he said.
 

Among those who were injured in the melee were TMC MLA Asit Majumdar and BJP chief whip Manoj Tigga, both of whom were taken to hospital. Majumdar claimed that Adhikari had punched him on the nose, but the BJP leader denied the charge.
 

Adhikari, along with BJP legislators Dipak Burman, Shankar Ghosh, Manoj Tigga and Narahari Mahato, were suspended by the Speaker for the entire session till the House is prorogued. Banerjee then adjourned the Assembly sine die. 
 

Birbhum carnage toll rises to 9

A woman who had suffered burns in the violence at Bogtui village in Birbhum district last week died in a hospital on Monday, raising the toll to nine, a police officer said. Out of the nine deceased, seven are women and two are children.

Three persons, including a boy, are still undergoing treatment at the same hospital.