The West Bengal Assembly descended into chaos on Tuesday as the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) tabled a motion condemning alleged attacks on Bengali-speaking migrants, prompting a dramatic walkout by BJP MLAs who accused TMC Education Minister Bratya Basu of maligning the Indian Army. The uproar, led by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, followed Basu’s controversial comparison of the Army’s dismantling of a TMC protest structure in Kolkata to the violent crackdown on unarmed protesters during the 1952 Bengali language movement in erstwhile East Pakistan.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay introduced the motion under Rule 169, highlighting incidents like the alleged torture of a child from a migrant laborer’s family in Delhi as evidence of “persecution faced by Bengalis” in BJP-ruled states. The motion aimed to spotlight the challenges faced by Bengali-speaking migrants and demand accountability for such attacks. However, tensions escalated when Basu referenced the Army’s action on Monday, when it dismantled a TMC dharna platform near the Gandhi statue on Mayo Road, an area under military control, citing the party’s overstay beyond permitted time.
“Our chief minister rushed to the site when the Army pulled down our podium meant to protest attacks on Bengali-speaking migrants. It reminded me of the sacrifices made in 1952 to protect our language and identity,” Basu said, drawing a parallel to the historic movement in what is now Bangladesh. The remarks ignited immediate backlash from BJP legislators, who accused the TMC of disrespecting a revered national institution for political gain. Adhikari condemned the comparison as “defamatory,” arguing that the Army’s action was a lawful response to encroachment on the Maidan, unlike the brutal Pakistani Army crackdown in 1952. “This government is maligning a proud national institution to score political points,” he charged, leading the BJP’s walkout after Speaker Biman Banerjee refused to expunge Basu’s remarks.
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The controversy follows a high-profile incident on Monday evening, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the protest site and accused the BJP of “misusing the Indian Army” to pursue “vendetta politics” against the TMC. The dismantled platform was part of a TMC demonstration against alleged atrocities on Bengali migrants, amplifying the political tug-of-war between the two parties. The Assembly row has intensified the TMC-BJP rivalry, with the opposition accusing the ruling party of exploiting sensitive issues to deflect from governance failures.
As West Bengal gears up for further political battles, the TMC’s motion underscores the plight of Bengali migrants while highlighting deep divisions in the state’s political landscape. The BJP’s walkout signals ongoing tensions, with both sides leveraging the incident to rally their bases ahead of future electoral contests.
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