The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Monday witnessed unprecedented scenes as MLAs of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised slogans during Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s address to the House.
The impasse continued for over an hour as the Governor refused to begin his address amid the din and tried to leave the House. The BJP MLAs descended to the well of the House, held up posters and raised slogans alleging violence in the recently concluded civic polls.
During the ruckus, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Speaker Biman Banerjee urged the Governor to go ahead with the speech. When the Governor tried to leave the House without reading his speech, Trinamool Congress MLAs gathered against his seat and prevented him from leaving the House without reading the address. Women MLAs of the TMC also prevented the Governor from leaving the House. The deadlock was resolved after an hour when Governor read the first and last line of his speech and left the House.
Planned attempt to create a Constitutional crisis: Mamata
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the development “unprecedented” and said that it was “planned attempt” to create a Constitutional crisis .“Since the Governor was leaving the House without reading the address and that would have led into a constitutional crisis. Our boys and girls (MLAs) requested him again and again to read it. Then he (Governor) urged me to persuade everyone to take their seats, which I did and he read his speech,” Ms. Banerjee said.
She thanked the Governor later in the day also visited Raj Bhawan and met Mr. Dhankhar. The Chief Minister said that “What BJP has done today in the Assembly was a shame on democracy”.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said that the BJP respects the office of the Governor but the address has been written by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which the BJP legislators were protesting against.
Speaking to journalists in the premises of State Assembly, Mr. Adhikari said the protests were against the irregularities during the civic polls. The Nandigram MLA claimed that during the proceedings in the Assembly on several occasions when the Governor tried to leave the House he was heckled by the members of Treasury Benches including woman MLAs.
Was physically blocked, says Governor
Commenting on the developments in the State Assembly Governor said “certain things must not have happened”. “There were occasions when members of Treasury Benches, Legislators and Ministers, physically blocked. That cannot be appreciated,” Mr. Dhankhar said. The Governor said that he tried to persuade both the Treasury Bench members and Opposition but cooperation was not coming from either sides and took the only step available.
“To ensure that traditions are maintained I took the only step available that the address be laid on the table of the House…As Governor I cannot let the State in a constitutional crisis.” he added.
Asked about the allegations of the Leader of Opposition that the Governor was heckled, Mr. Dhankhar evaded a direct response but added, “Something which I never imagined and something that should never have happened”. The Governor also urged the members of both Treasury Benches and Opposition Benches to indulge in soul searching in the backdrop of the day’s developments in the Assembly.
