Alleging ‘assault’ by WB police, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya moves privilege notice

Says LS Speaker has assured him to forward complaint to Privileges Committee of Parliament

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya addresses a press conference, in New Delhi on Monday. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 3

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Monday moved a Breach of Privilege Motion with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against top police officials in Kolkata and Howrah for “manhandling, assaulting and obstructing him and two others from performing their duties as MPs”.

Speaking to the media, Surya said he requested the Speaker that the police officials, “whose actions amounted to assault and attempt to murder, be summoned before the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges”.

“The Speaker assured that he would look into the matter and forward the complaint to the Privileges Committee of Parliament,” said Surya, who also claimed that fellow MPs “Nisith Pramanik (representing Cooch Behar), Jyotirmay Singh Mahato (Purulia), Saumitra Khan (Bishnupur) and Locket Chatterjee (Hoogly) were attacked with tear gas shells, country bombs and water cannons mixed with a hazardous chemical”.

“It is a classic case of attempt to murder by TMC goons…chemical in water were more dangerous than coronavirus,” he alleged

Surya claimed that he and two other MPs were manhandled at the Jorasanko Police Station in Kolkata when they had gone to file a complaint against the “police violence on October 8”. Police obstructed him and other representatives from performing their duty as Members of Parliament, he alleged.

“There is complete breakdown of law and order in West Bengal,” he said. “We were carrying out our solemn duty as MPs of raising our voice to express the anguish and concerns of the common people of India, to defend their democratic rights and represent their concerns and interests. We were not only impeded at our work but we were, including a female Member of Parliament present with us, manhandled, assaulted with tear gas shells and water cannons and crude bombs. This amounts to a breach of privilege where non-members are found to be obstructing or assaulting or molesting a Member of Parliament,” he said.