'Vote chor BJP, job chor TMC' chants reign inside Bengal Assembly; MLAs come to blows

CM Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP indulges in stealing votes, but lectures others on democratic processes. 'BJP is a vote chor and they have stolen people's mandate to win elections,' she asserted.

Kolkata: High drama unfolded in the West Bengal assembly on Thursday, as ruling TMC and opposition BJP MLAs engaged in heated verbal duels, bringing proceedings to a near standstill and leading to the suspension of five saffron party legislators.

As chaos gripped the House amid walkouts and marshals dragging out MLAs, slogans like “vote chor BJP” and “chakri chor (job thief) TMC” reverberated inside the assembly.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the BJP members traded accusations, with both sides calling it a “black day” for West Bengal’s democracy.

In her address, the CM alleged that the BJP indulges in stealing votes, but lectures others on democratic processes.

"BJP is a ‘vote chor’, they have stolen people's mandate to win elections," she asserted.

The pandemonium broke out moments before the chief minister was scheduled to address the special session of the House during a debate on a government resolution condemning alleged atrocities against Bengali migrants.

BJP legislators vociferously protested the September 2 suspension of Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari for the special session, triggering fierce counter-sloganeering from TMC members.

As the ruckus continued, Speaker Biman Banerjee suspended BJP chief whip Shankar Ghosh from the assembly for the remainder of the day for creating disorder.

With Ghosh refusing to leave, assembly marshals were called in, and he was physically dragged out of the House, triggering loud protests from the opposition benches.

The din intensified as BJP MLAs Agnimitra Paul, Mihir Goswami, Bankim Ghosh and Ashok Dinda were also suspended following sustained disruptions.

The chief minister also accused the BJP of “sabotaging a serious discussion” for narrow political gains, as members of the saffron party continued to raise slogans, interrupting her speech.

“Why is the BJP not allowing me to speak in this House?” she asked, pausing multiple times amid the commotion.

“They were behaving like evil forces, just like Ravan,” Banerjee later said, visibly exasperated.

Even as security personnel formed a human barricade to separate the two sides and prevent any physical confrontation, several TMC MLAs were seen moving aggressively toward the BJP benches, prompting swift intervention by the marshals.

The chief minister was seen reprimanding several of her own party members, including Nayana Banerjee, Humayun Kabir, and Nirmal Ghosh, for trying to rush to opposition benches during the ruckus.

“If you don’t let me speak, I will ask the Speaker to suspend you as well,” she warned.

Despite the chaos, Speaker Banerjee refused to adjourn the session, insisting that the proceedings continue.

The BJP legislators also alleged that water bottles were hurled at them from the treasury benches.

Turning up the political heat, the CM accused the BJP of fostering “linguistic terrorism” and being “anti-Bengali.”

“You are against the Bengali language. We are not against any language," she asserted.

“Had you been in power, the national anthem wouldn’t have been ‘Jana Gana Mana’. You call those speaking Bengali anti-nationals. The people will not forgive you,” Banerjee added.

Later, speaking to reporters outside the House, suspended BJP MLA Shankar accused the Speaker of bias.

“If they don't want the Leader of the Opposition or BJP MLAs in the House, we will boycott it. But, the Speaker should rise above party politics and maintain the dignity of his chair. What happened today is the darkest day in the history of Bengal’s legislature,” he said.

After Banerjee's speech ended, the BJP legislative party staged a walkout from the assembly.

The resolution was passed through voice vote, with the BJP members walking out before voting.