Chaos in Bengal assembly over reduction in liquor prices, BJP MLAs walkout

KOLKATA: BJP MLAs staged a walkout in the West Bengal assembly on Wednesday after Speaker Biman Banerjee refused to admit a series of adjournment motions moved by the opposition parties over a host of issues, including the reduction in duty on liquor while ignoring taxes on fuel.

Reading out one of the adjournment motions, BJP's Asansol South MLA Agnimitra Paul said duty on liquor has been reduced in the state, but the government did not decrease the VAT on petrol and diesel.

BJP's Siliguri MLA Sankar Ghosh moved an adjournment motion over post-poll violence in the state. Another motion was moved over the unemployment situation in the state.

As the speaker refused to admit the adjournment motions, the BJP MLAs trooped into the Well, shouting slogans against the Mamata Banerjee-led government.

Amid the din, they walked out of the House. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari told reporters outside the House that the state government was trying to lead the youth of the state to the wrong path by slashing liquor prices by up to 30 per cent.

This move will ruin many families of the state, he said. He said that the state government should immediately reduce VAT on fuel as prices of commodities are skyrocketing.

He claimed that the unemployment situation in the state was precarious, alleging the government was not providing jobs to those belonging to the OBC category.

The BJP's north Bengal MLAs will move an adjournment motion on Thursday, highlighting the plight of tea garden workers in the state, Adhikari announced.