The West Bengal Legislative Assembly witnessed noisy scenes on Friday, the first day of seventeenth legislative Assembly, with BJP legislators raising slogans during the address by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The Governor had to cut short his address. The eighteen-page speech was summed up by the Governor in a few minutes. Amidst the din and ruckus, it was not clear which portions of the speech was read and which were not.
BJP MLAs led by Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, stood up on their seats and held up photos of party workers allegedly killed during post poll violence as Governor Dhankhar read his speech. The Opposition MLAs were upset that there was “no mention” of post-poll violence in the Governor’s address.
Speaking to journalists later in the press corner of the Assembly, Mr. Adhikari said there was no mention of the post poll violence in Governor’s address, prepared by the State government. The BJP leader said the Governor had been sensitive to the issue of post poll violence and visited Sitalkuchi and Nandigram but had to read the speech which was approved by the State cabinet.
Despite a bitter exchange of words between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor Dhankhar a few days ago, both exchanged pleasantries ahead of the Assembly session. The Chief Minister came outside the House to greet the Governor as he offered flowers to the statue of the Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The Governor also exchanged courtesies with Speaker Biman Banerjee.
Earlier, Governor Dhankhar had objected to contents of the speech and said that certain portions of his address would not go well with the people.
Trinamool Congress Chief Whip Nirmal Ghosh said that the behavior of BJP MLAs was unprecedented and unacceptable in a parliamentary democracy.
The Budget Session of the Assembly is likely to continue till July 8 and the Budget is likely to be tabled on July 7.
This is the first time in the past few decades that there are no MLAs of the Left parties and the Congress in the West Bengal Assembly. The TMC won 213 seats, the BJP 77 and the Indian Secular Front one seat in the recently concluded Assembly polls.
