Candle light march by BJP MLAs in WB Assembly premises as mark of respect for those killed in B'desh during Durga Puja

Senior West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari Monday organised a candle light march in the state Assembly premises as a mark of respect to the nine people killed in neighbouring Bangladesh during Durga Puja.

Adhikary, who is the leader of the opposition, organised the rally with 68 BJP MLAs after his request to mention the names of those killed in Bangladesh was turned down by Speaker Biman Banerjee.

''We are Bengalis and many of us still have relatives in Bangladesh. During this year's Durga Puja nine Bengalis were killed there. We had requested the speaker to keep a mention about them during today's obituary references. But the speaker turned it down. So we organised a candle march,'' he added. Adhikari said that BJP MLAs will skip Assembly proceedings on days when there are festivals scheduled during the ongoing winter session.

Adhikari, who is the leader of opposition said the saffron party will not boycott the winter session, which started on Monday.

''We are not boycotting the session but we will not be participating on days when there are festivals. We do not support the way the session has been planned by them (the government). We had requested them verbally and then in writing, but both times they were turned down. All our MLAs have decided to be with common people on the festival days,'' Adhikary said.

''In the entire schedule we have noticed that there is no mention of the festivals of the Gorkhas and the adivasis (tribal). This session has been imposed by the state government. We will not be present in all the days. We are not boycotting the session as we have been elected by the people on their behalf to represent them in the Assembly,'' he said.

BJP MLAS, he said, will not come to attend the Assembly from Tuesday to participate in the session and will do only if sittings are scheduled on November 16,17 and 18.

There will be no proceedings in the house on November 3, 4 (Kali Puja), (5 (Diwali), 10 and 11 (Chhat Puja), 12 (Jagadhatri Puja), 15 (Tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda's birth anniversary). The session is likely to end on November 18.

Assembly sources said the house will discuss the bicentennial of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar for half-an-hour on Tuesday and there will be no proceedings this week.

During the Business Advisory Committee meeting on Monday there was a proposal on holding a discussion on women's empowerment, which will be held in the second half Monday next and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may attend it, the sources said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)