The West Bengal Assembly was plunged into chaos today as the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party clashed over a motion condemning alleged attacks on Bengali-speaking migrants in other states. The confrontation ended with the suspension of Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, for the remainder of the special session due to "disrupting proceedings."
Adhikari claimed he was suspended for protesting against remarks made by state Education Minister Bratya Basu, who had allegedly criticised the Indian Army's dismantling of a TMC protest stage in Kolkata and compared the action to the Pakistani army's atrocities in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
This dramatic showdown occurred less than 24 hours after Army officials dismantled a TMC protest marquee near the Gandhi statue on Kolkata's Mayo Road, citing encroachment on defence land. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had rushed to the site on Monday evening, accusing the BJP of "misusing the Army" for "vendetta politics."
Tabling the motion under Rule 169, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay highlighted the "persecution faced by Bengalis," citing recent incidents, including the alleged torture of a migrant worker in a BJP-ruled state.
During the debate, Basu said, "Our Chief Minister herself rushed to the site when the Army pulled down our podium meant to protest attacks on Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states." He added, "When the Army dismantled our stage yesterday, it reminded me of the Pakistani army firing in Dhaka on 25 March 1971. It also reminded me of the sacrifices made by people who laid down their lives to protect our language and identity."
Basu's comments triggered an uproar from the BJP benches, with Adhikari accusing the government of "defaming the Army" and equating a lawful act with Pakistan's brutality. "This government is maligning a proud national institution just to score political points," he said, demanding that the remarks be removed from the record.
When Speaker Biman Banerjee refused, Adhikari stood up, repeatedly interrupting proceedings and shouting slogans. "I am forced to suspend you for repeatedly interrupting the proceedings of the House and leaving your seat," the Speaker declared, amid loud desk-thumping from TMC legislators.
Talking to the media, the Speaker said Adhikari has been suspended for the "remaining days of this (special) session".
The special session, which began on Monday, will end on Thursday. There will be a break on September 3, which is a state holiday on account of Karam Puja.
BJP MLAs then staged a walkout, raising slogans such as "We don't want this pro-appeasement Mamata government" and "shame, shame." Outside the Assembly, Adhikari claimed he had been "unethically forced out," stating, "I was suspended because I protested against Basu's defamatory remarks against the Indian Army. We want those remarks to be expunged. How can a minister compare the Indian army with that of the Pakistani army?"
The TMC defended the motion, saying it was necessary to highlight the "systematic harassment" of Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states and that Basu's comments were being "twisted for political gains."
The clash over migrants and the Army has created a new flashpoint in the bitter TMC-BJP rivalry. The ruling party accuses the BJP of staying silent on "attacks against Bengalis," while the opposition charges the state government with dragging the Army into partisan politics. The Assembly motion follows TMC protests over alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states such as Assam, Odisha, Delhi, Maharashtra and Gujarat. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has alleged that these migrants were being labelled "illegal Bangladeshis" and targeted for detention and linguistic profiling.
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