TMC govt defends chair`s ruling in Kolkata

The West Bengal government defended Speaker Biman Banerjee`s ruling in suspending three CPI(M) MLAs for instigating violence in the Assembly.

Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Tuesday defended Speaker Biman Banerjee`s ruling in suspending three CPI(M) MLAs for instigating violence in the Assembly and rejected the countercharge against Trinamool Congress as false.

Parliamentary Affairs minister Partha Chatterjee said that the House adopted a resolution condemning activities of the CPI(M) members in provoking violence, abusing the Speaker and disrupting proceedings of the House. He said that the Speaker had suspended the members under section 347 which did not provide any scope for self-defence as demanded by Leader of the Opposition Suryakanta Mishra, belonging to the CPI(M). Alleging that despite being decimated in the state in last election, the CPI(M) had not yet reformed itself and was still resorting to `goondaraj` as it had done in last 34 years, Chatterjee rejected Mishra`s charge that Trinamool Congress members were on the offensive against opposition MLAs and said it was false. "What business had CPI(M) member Debalina Hembram to go to the treasury bench and attack our women members?" he questioned. The violence further distanced Trinamool Congress and the Congress which asked the ruling party to be more patient despite the opposition`s provocation. "It is a dark chapter in the legislative history in the state and ruling party should be more patient despite provocation by the opposition. Unfortunately, Trinamool Congress could not exhibit it," Congress leader Manas Bhuinya, who quit the Mamata Banerjee cabinet along with six other ministers in September, told reporters. Bhuinya, former Irrigation minister, took exception to the parliamentary affairs minister`s oblique reference to the `shameless role` of the Congress when CPI(M) and Trinamool Congress MLAs came to blows in the House. He demanded that the Speaker call all parties to work out a formula for smooth functioning of the House. PTI