West Bengal Speaker suspends BJP MLA, orders eviction of two others-OxBig News Network

West Bengal Legislative Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The West Bengal Legislative Assembly Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay suspended the BJP’s Dipak Barman on Monday (March 10, 2025) for the rest of the session. Marshals also evicted two other BJP legislators from the House.

The State Assembly witnessed noisy scenes after a BJP MLA’s microphone was switched off prompting the BJP legislators to protest. BJP MLA Hiran Chatterjee, during discussions on the budget, was raising concerns about the functioning of the West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC) when at the direction of the Speaker, his microphone was switched off.

The BJP legislators began protesting and gathered in the well of the House. Despite repeated warnings from the Speaker, they continued to protest. The BJP MLAs, led by Chief Whip Shankar Ghosh, tore up and scattered paper in protest.

As the disruption continued, the Speaker announced the suspension of BJP MLA Dipak Barman for the remainder of the session. He directed the marshals to escort two other BJP MLAs, Sankar Ghosh and Manoj Oraon, out of the House. After this, BJP MLAs staged a walkout.

‘Stifling dissent’

Later in the day, while speaking to the media, Mr. Bandyopadhyay said that “one cannot criticise the acts of the Speaker.” The Speaker said that after repeated warnings when the MLAs did not listen, he invoked Rule 331 of the Rules of Conduct of Business of The House and asked the marshals to escort the MLAs of the House.

The development comes weeks after the Speaker suspended four BJP MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari for the entire Budget session on February 19 for creating a ruckus in the House.

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari condemned the Speaker’s actions, accusing him of stifling dissent. The BJP MLA claimed that the marshals had acted under the influence of the TMC.

The BJP leadership has called for a rally in Baruipur on March 19 in protest against the alleged suppression of its MLAs’ voices in the Assembly.

Speaker targeted

Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay represents Baruipur. The BJP leaders have decided to take protests to Baruipur and target the Speaker for preventing BJP legislators from raising critical issues against the ruling party during discussions.

“Today, the Speaker did not allow our legislator Hiran Chatterjee to speak when he criticised the state government. Earlier, he suspended me and three others from the House for highlighting the deteriorating law and order situation under Mamata Banerjee’s rule,” Mr. Adhikari told reporters

TMC legislators defended the Speaker’s decision, stating that the BJP was trying to disrupt legislative proceedings. Senior Trinamool leader and Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that the BJP raised questions about the effectiveness of state welfare schemes like Kanyashree, but walked out of the House when the Minister rose to respond.