Privilege Motion Filed Against Suvendu Adhikari Amid Assembly Turmoil

The West Bengal Legislative Assembly has become a battleground of intense political conflict, as a privilege motion was filed against Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, following his suspension alongside three other Bharatiya Janata Party legislators. The motion, introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, accuses Adhikari of making provocative statements, including labelling the Mamata Banerjee-led administration as a "government of Muslims" and alleging its association with "terrorists."

Speaker Biman Banerjee accepted the motion and referred it to the Assembly's Privilege Committee for further examination. He expressed concern over Adhikari's conduct, stating that the Assembly should not be perceived as weak and highlighting the provocative nature of Adhikari's remarks. The Speaker also urged Adhikari to issue a public apology for his statements.

The controversy escalated when Adhikari, along with BJP MLAs Agnimitra Paul, Bankim Ghosh, and Biswanath Karak, was suspended for 30 days or until the end of the current session. This disciplinary action was a response to their alleged unruly behaviour, which included tearing official documents and throwing them towards the Speaker's chair during a discussion on reported attacks during Saraswati Puja celebrations. The Speaker condemned these actions as highly inappropriate and derogatory.

In response to the suspensions, BJP legislators initiated a boycott of the Assembly proceedings. They staged a sit-in protest outside the Assembly, donning saffron turbans and white t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan "gorbo Koray boli Amora Hindu" . The BJP has declared its intention to continue the boycott until the suspensions are revoked.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed the situation, defending the suspensions as a necessary measure following a motion moved by a member of the House. She criticised Adhikari's behaviour, describing it as extremely derogatory, and supported the Speaker's decision to refer the privilege motion to the committee. Banerjee also condemned Adhikari's comments, asserting that they were inappropriate and accusing him of politicising religion.

Adhikari, representing the Nandigram constituency, has been a prominent figure in West Bengal politics, especially since his defection from the Trinamool Congress to the BJP prior to the 2021 state elections. His rivalry with Chief Minister Banerjee has been marked by heated exchanges and political manoeuvring. In this instance, Adhikari accused the TMC government of being anti-democratic and claimed that the suspensions were a tactic to silence opposition voices during the Chief Minister's address on the Governor's speech.