Trinamool members' salaries to remain suspended

Kolkata, Mar 5 (UNI) Even as the Budget session of the West Bengal Assembly commences on March 8, the salary and allowances of the opposition Trinamool Congress members will remain under suspension for more than three months.

''The salary and allowances of the Trinamool Congress members will remain suspended till we decide otherwise,'' Assembly Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim today said.

The Speaker had freezed the salaries and allowances for 28 out of 30 Trinamool legislators following the unprecedented bedlam in the House and the lobby on November 30 that witnessed destruction of public property.

In a frenzied spree of destruction, the Trinamool members broke a number of antique furniture inside and outside the House to vent their ire against the alleged assault of their leader Ms Mamata Banerjee by police while she was on way to Singur.

Ms Banerjee was present in the Assembly lobby when the Trinamool members went on the rampage.

The Speaker said he had asked the Public Works Depatrment (PWD) to assess the extent of damage. '' The PWD report is yet to be submitted in the Assembly. We will take appropriate action after going through the report,'' he said.

While West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi will deliver his address on the opening day of the session, the budget for 2006-07 will be placed on March 16.

With at least four Bills to be presented during the session, the House is expected to continue till the first week of April.

UNI