High Drama in Bengal Assembly: 6 BJP MLAs Suspended for Protesting over Sandeshkhali Riots

Kolkata: High drama ensued in Bengal Assembly on Monday morning, as six Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs were suspended for protesting over the violence that took place in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali area. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has also been suspended over the matter.

The MLAs were suspended for questioning the role of state administration in the case related to Sheikh Shahjahan.

The MLAs were suspended from the remaining session of the Legislative Assembly after they raised the Sandeshkhali issue in the House today.

Massive protests are underway in Sandeshkhali. Bengal Governor Ananda Bose is en route to Sandeshkhali to take stock of the situation. Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers are staging a counter-protest against Governor Ananda Bose in face of the huge people’s uprising that is taking place in Bengal against the alleged harassment and torture of women by TMC leaders in Sandeshkhali.

Suvendu Adhikari said that he’s also on his way to Sandeshkhali to assess the situation.

On suspension of party leaders from Assembly, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari said, “We were protesting against the incident in Sandeshkhali. We entered the well of the House and raised our voice. However, we were suspended. This suspension is a gift for us as we were trying to defend the honour of our mothers and sisters. We are ready to sacrifice ourselves for the protection of women.”

“BJP will continue to raise its voice for the respect of women,” Suvendu Adhikari added.

“We are the representatives of the people and we will go to Sandeshkhali. What is there to hide? Women have been repressed for so long now. The CM does not know about this? The CM is so scared that she might be stopped from coming out from Vidhan Sabha itself,” said BJP’s Agnimitra Paul, adding, “The truth is out now. We will tell everyone that the CM knows about the harassment of women in exchange for money.”

Agitation in Sandeshkhali: Locals Stage Protest

Meanwhile, the locals from strife-ridden Sandeshkhali have demanded the arrest of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan, who’s still missing.

In a recent incident in the Sandeshkhali region of West Bengal, agitated villagers set fire to the poultry farm belonging to TMC leader Shivprasad Hazra. Locals, particularly women, marched through various sections of Sandeshkhali, carrying slippers in their hands, demanding the arrest of TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh in an alleged land ration allotment scam. Local residents claimed that Hazra took over their land against their will, leading to their agitation and subsequent protest against the TMC leader. Despite a significant police presence in the area in response to the protests, the villagers set fire to the poultry farm of Trinamool leader Shivprasad Hazra.

West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar on Sunday slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and alleged that being a woman, she had failed to protect ST women in Sandeshkhali violence. Majumdar said, "The way reports are coming out of violence and rape cases in Sandeshkhali shows that TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and Shiv Prasad Hazra have established their aristocratic rule and inflicting pain on women from the ST caste. Being a woman, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has failed to protect women in Sandeshkhali."