LoP Suvendu Adhikari describes Bengal Assembly Speaker as 'anti-Hindu'

Kolkata: Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday described Speaker Biman Banerjee as "anti-Hindu" drawing a sharp rebuttal from the latter who said he need not take a lesson about 'Hindutva' or a certificate from the BJP MLA about his religious beliefs.

Following the Speaker's refusal to allow any adjournment motion by BJP chief whip Sankar Ghosh and other party legislators earlier in the day about alleged attacks on Hindus and their places of worship during the recent Holi festival in Birbhum district and some other parts of the state, the BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the House shouting 'Hindu-birodhi sarkar, aar nei darkar' ("We don't want an anti-Hindu government any more").

Banerjee allowed Ghosh to read the motion for some time on the floor of the House but once he referred to alleged attacks on Hindus, the Speaker said no discussion or statement by the government on the motion will be allowed prompting the BJP MLAs to stage a walkout from the Assembly.

Coming down heavily on Banerjee, Adhikari posted on X handle, "TMC MLA.... and the Hon'ble Speaker of West Bengal Assembly redacts/censors the word 'Hindutva' from an Adjournment Motion. Why? Is the word 'Hindutva' unconstitutional or unparliamentary? How can he edit and erase the word 'Hindutva'?"

Labelling the speaker as "anti-Hindu", Adhikari said he (Banerjee) is "misusing his position to corner the Hindutvavadi legislators by stifling our voices. We won't back out. We will keep raising our voices and make him listen to the 'Hindutva' word, he so detests."

Contacted, Bandyopadhyay told PTI, "I need not learn Hindutva from Suvendu Adhikari. Also I need not get his certificate on the issue (religious belief)." Asserting he is a devout Hindu, Banerjee said, "I perform rituals like chanting Gayatri mantra every day. But I need not proclaim and flaunt that publicly." Adhikari also announced to take out a rally of BJP MLAs to the assembly constituency of the Speaker.

The Leader of Opposition posted on X handle, "We will raise the matter with the electorate of his (Banerjee's) assembly constituency and let them know how they have allowed an anti-Hindu propagandist to enter the West Bengal legislative assembly." In response, Banerjee said "Adhikari is free to visit Baruipur, which is a beautiful place. But we cannot help him mobilise the crowd. Probably he has to bring people from Nandigram."