Obituary reference to Nandigram victims denied,Opp walks out

Kolkata, Mar 14 (UNI) The entire Opposition walked out of the state Assembly today protesting against the Speaker's refusal to make obituary references to 14 people killed in police firing in Nandigram a year ago.

As soon as the House assembled, the Congress, SUCI and the Trinamool Congress members, wearing black scarfs, urged the Speaker to make the obituary references and observe a two-minute silence in the House in memory of the deceased.

When Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim rejected the Oppositions' demand and started the proceedings, the SUCI and the Trinamool Congress staged a noisy walk out from the House.

After a few seconds, the Congress members also walked out of the House as the Speaker, in the beginning of the Question Hour, rejected a similar demand from Congres Legislature Party (CLP) leader Manas Bhuniya.

Later, the Opposition members observed one-minute silence in memory of the Nandigram victims in the lobby of the House.

Meanwhile, the Speaker informed the members that the demand of the Oppositions' could not be met as there was no tradition of making obituary references to people killed in movements in the House.

Later, Opposition leader Partha Chatterjee told mediapersons that they have given a notice of privilege motion against Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to the Speaker.

''The Chief Minister, in his reply to the Governor's address in the House last year, had said that Rs 1,46,0000 was allotted for making the land map in the state but in his similar reply to the Governor's address yesterday he denied that any such measure had been adopted,'' Mr Chatterjee observed.

''The Speaker told us to submit the required documents assuring the matter will be taken up on March 18,'' he added.

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