Left Front, Congress stage walkout from Bengal Assembly

The Opposition Left Front and Congress today walked out of the West Bengal Assembly in protest against Speaker Biman Banerjee's decision to reject separate adjournment motions moved by them on different issues.

The Left Front moved an adjournment motion demanding inquiry into the recent Pingla blast, which claimed 12 lives, by the NIA and exemplary punishment for the culprits.

This apart, the motion also demanded safety and security for the panic-stricken people there, urging the government to pay compensation of at least Rs 5 lakh to the family of each of the victims. The Speaker, however, rejected the motion and allowed the CPI(M) member Anisur Rahaman only to read the edited copy of the motion. This done, Rahaman led the LF members to the Well of the House, while the members shouted slogans blaming the state government for the blast.

Ultimately the LF members walked out of the House for a brief period. Speaking to reporters outside the House, Rahaman regretted, "Neither Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the blast site, nor did she express grief for the incident." Another adjournment motion, moved by the Congress, was in protest against arrest of its two MLAs Rabindra Nath Chatterjee at Katwa in Burdwan district and Apurba Sarkar at Kandi in Murshidabad district allegedly in false cases during the recent civic election.

The Congress demanded immediate withdrawal of those cases against both the members and discussion on state's law and order situation.

The Speaker, however, rejected the adjournment motion and allowed the member Asit Mitra only to read it out. After reading it out, Mitra along with other Congress members went to the Well of the House and shouted slogans against the ruling party demanding that the government withdraw all cases against their MLAs and restore the state's law and order situation. All Congress members then walked out of the House. Later Congress leader Md Sohrab told reporters outside the House, "The TMC had unleashed a reign of terror to capture all the civic bodies by force. To arrest their leaders in false cases is nothing but a move keep them under pressure."