Trinamool Cogress stages walkout from Bengal Assembly

Kolkata, Mar 13 (UNI) Opposition All India Trinamool Congress(AITC) members today staged a noisy walkout from the West Bengal Assembly for the second day today protesting against the Speaker's refusal to admit an adjournment motion on Singur issue.

As soon as the question hour was over, Trinamool Congress's Sonali Guha brought an adjournment motion to discuss the alleged suicide of a farmer at Singur yesterday. Incidentally it came in the wake of the government's acquisition of land for the Tata Motors plant.

But when Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim refused to admit the motion for any discussion and allowed Ms Guha only to read it out, she, along with most of her party colleagues became agitated and rushed to the well demanding a full length discussion on "the humane issue".

She lambasted the Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee government for 'forcefully grabbing large chunks of farmland from hapless farmers at Singur without paying them enough compensation'.

But as the Speaker refused any further discussion,the AITC bench led, by Opposition leader Partha Chatterjee and senior members like Mr Saugata Roy and Mr Sovandeb Chattopadhyay,walked out of the House. However, within five minutes they returned and took part in the proceedings, including those in the mention hour.

Incidentally, AITC had staged a similar temporary walkout from the house yesterday demanding proper discussions on the state's industrial policy with particular reference to Singur in Hooghly district and at Nandigram in East Midnapore districts.

Earlier,raising a point of order during the question period Mr Chatterjee drew the Speaker's and members' attention towards the alleged attack on some members of his party's women's wing at Chandipur near Nandigram by ruling party workers this morning while the AITC members were on their way to Nandigram for distributing some relief materials.

Demanding an immediate statement from the chief minister who also holds the home portfolio, Mr Chatterjee described the incident as a 'clear attempt' by the ruling parties to frighten the opposition across the state.

Echoing similar sentiments Congress Chief Whip Manas Bhunia also flayed the state administration for their 'failure' to protect the opposition workers from the 'wrath of the ruling party members'.

Describing the situation as 'explosive', Dr Bhunia blamed the district CPI(M) and its constituent party leaders for failing to control the 'rough party members'. He also demanded an immediate statement on the issue from the chief minister, who was,however,not present.

UNI