Trinamool, opposition members trade blows in Bengal House

CPI(M) MLA Gouranga Chatterjee received head injuries and was taken to hospital as also two TMC MLAs, Mahmuda Begum who was hit in the chest, and Pulak Roy who was injured in the leg.

Trouble broke out after Question Hour when an adjournment motion by Left members on mushroom growth of chit funds in the state was admitted, but a discussion disallowed.

Leader of the Opposition Surya Kanto Mishra belonging to CPI(M) rose and said that the motion had been severely edited and that the opposition was not being allowed to speak.

Left members then rushed to Speaker Biman Banerjee's podium and encircled it shouting slogans.

Assembly security staff took up positions around the Speaker and senior ministers Partha Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim and Government Chief Whip Sobhandeb Chattopadhay were seen shielding the Speaker.

The Speaker went on with the business of the House including Mention Hour amidst the din.

But the situation soon degenerated into an ugly melee, with legislators from the Left and ruling party locked in scuffles and gesticulations.

Angry exchanges followed after CPI(M) MLA Nazmul Haq tried to grab the Speaker's mike but a lady assembly security staff prevented him from doing so.

Chattopadhay said the mike and the light on the Speaker's table were damaged, while the mobile phone of TMC member Ashok Ghosh was stolen.

Treasury MLAs later claimed that there were attempts to attack the Speaker.

Amidst the uproar the Speaker adjourned the House till 1:30 pm and left, but the melee continued in the well for some time more. MORE