Bengal Speaker accepts privilege motion against Suvendu Adhikari for 'defamatory' remarks against CM Mamata

Kolkata: West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Wednesday accepted a privilege motion moved by a few Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs against Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari for allegedly making "defamatory and untrue" remarks against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee outside the assembly premises.

Banerjee said the motion had been forwarded to the privilege committee, which will submit its report by the next session.

Assembly sources said the next session is likely to be held in September.

The privilege motion, submitted to the Speaker, was in response to Adhikari's alleged statements to the media claiming that the CM, during her speech on the floor of the House, had praised Pakistan.

Stating that Adhikari made these comments outside the House, BJP MLAs argued that the matter could not be brought under the breach of privilege motion.

The motion was signed by senior TMC ministers and legislators, including Chandrima Bhattacharya, Shovandeb Chattopadhyay, Arup Biswas, Indranil Sen and Nirmal Ghosh.

Following the Speaker’s decision to refer the matter to the committee, opposition members staged a walkout.

The House witnessed chaotic scenes on Monday after the CM lauded the armed forces for their military strikes on terror hubs across the western border, but launched a blistering attack on the Union government over the Pahalgam incident, accusing the Centre of failing to provide adequate security to the nation’s citizens.

The CM also said India had a "golden opportunity" to reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during the military conflict, but failed to act decisively, while questioning the efficiency of BJP-led Centre's diplomatic strategy to globally corner Pakistan.