As the Assembly reconvened on Wednesday, seats were crossed out for MLAs to maintain social distancing. (Photo by Partha Paul)After a gap of five months, the 294-member West Bengal Legislative Assembly Wednesday reconvened for a single-day monsoon session and was adjourned since die after obituary references as BJP leaders protested against the government for the death of its party workers. The session lasted for around half an hour.
The session was curtailed to one day from two days over Covid-19 fears. Scrapping of Question Hour drew a sharp reaction from Opposition parties, alleging that the government wanted to sidestep criticism.
Holding anti-government placards outside the Assembly, BJP MLAs raised slogans and claimed the democracy in the state was “ruined by the ruling TMC”.
BJP Legislative Party Leader Manoj Tigga said, “We decided to stage a demonstration near the Ambedkar statue in protest against the killing of party workers across the state.”
The government once again declined Congress and Left parties’ demand to table a resolution against the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) and rise in prices of essentials. Veteran Congress leader Abdul Mannan said, “This only proves that TMC and BJP have a tacit understanding.”
Of the 644 samples tests for Covid-19 since Tuesday, 10 returned positive. Assembly staff, police personnel, journalists and MLAs were tested on the Assembly premises.
Among the 10 cases were four policeman, CPM MLA Abdur Rezzak, a driver for CPM MLA Sujan Chakraborty, a journalist, a bus driver of the West Bengal Transport Corporation, two Assembly staffers. After his test report, Jalangi MLA Rezzak returned to the MLA hostel and later sent to a safe home on the direction of Speaker Biman Banerjee. Chakraborty, who did not attend the session, quarantined himself at home.