The Bengal Assembly on Monday was marred by chaos, ruckus and a scuffle between BJP MLAs and security personnel over the suspension of four Opposition legislators who continued protesting on the floor, demanding the Speaker’s resignation for expunging Thursday's speech by economist and Balurghat lawmaker Ashok Lahiri.
When the security personnel used force to evict the four suspended MLAs, Opposition chief whip and BJP's Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh tumbled and fell on the floor of the Assembly. A table was overturned and a chair broken, and multiple microphones were allegedly damaged by the BJP MLAs during the chaos.
“Despite responding to the point raised by Ashok Babu (BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri), the Opposition MLAs created chaos and escalated it by tearing up Assembly papers. I was compelled to suspend four BJP MLAs till the end of this session for continuing the ruckus despite multiple appeals. When I asked the marshal to ensure their exit from the House, the MLAs attacked them, injuring 10 of our security personnel,” said Speaker Biman Banerjee.
“I have also received a complaint from the leader of the Opposition. I will inquire into the complaints from both sides. However, multiple microphones and a table were vandalised by BJP MLAs, and I will certainly take stern action for damaging government property,” the Speaker added.
Monday’s chaotic episode began after Ashok Lahiri raised a point of order regarding the expungement of his statement on the West Bengal Sales Tax (Settlement of Dispute) (Amendment) Bill, 2025, from the official records of the Assembly.
When the minister of state for finance, Chandrima Bhattacharya, stated on the floor that it was a result of the BJP’s decision to leave the House without listening to answers from treasury bench members, BJP MLAs stood up and began protesting, demanding the Speaker’s resignation over his alleged bias.
As BJP and Trinamool Congress MLAs engaged in heated exchanges and counter-attacks, the Speaker attempted to restore order but failed. The BJP legislators continued their protest by throwing torn papers in the House, demanding answers from the Speaker.
Speaker Banerjee took barely a minute to announce the suspension of four BJP MLAs — Shankar Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Dipak Barman and Manoj Oraon — for the remaining period of the Assembly session, following a recommendation from the treasury bench. However, the monsoon session is set to end on Tuesday.
As the suspended BJP MLAs refused to leave, the Speaker instructed the marshal to ensure their removal, resulting in a scuffle between security personnel and Opposition legislators.
The BJP MLAs alleged that they were beaten by the Marshals.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who was not present during the incident, later reached the Assembly and joined the protest at the main entrance, condemning the alleged attack on his colleagues.
Adhikari approached the Speaker’s chair with Ghosh’s broken spectacles and a damaged watch belonging to another BJP MLA. Upon entering the House, he was surrounded by a group of female security guards, while he staged a protest near the Speaker’s podium for about 15 minutes. Later, BJP’s Khejuri MLA Santanu Pramanik lodged a complaint at Hare Street police station against the marshal.
“It was a barbaric attack on our MLAs, and we will continue to protest this undemocratic act inside the Assembly. In the next (winter) session, we will bring a no-confidence motion against the Speaker,” said Adhikari, who also claimed he was surrounded by women guards as part of a ploy to trap him.
The ruling dispensation alleged that marshal Debabrata Mukhopadhyay, two deputy marshals and seven security personnel, including women, were injured in the attack by the BJP legislators. All the injured persons filed written complaints with the Speaker after receiving primary medical attention.
