In a major embarrassment for the Mamata Banerjee Government, State Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee tended to contradict the ruling Trinamool Congress’ stance on the recent attacks on Opposition leader Dr Suryakanto Mishra and other left MlAs condemning his own partymen for “disallowing the Opposition its bonafide place.”
Banerjee said, “all attacks on the Opposition particularly the MlAs should be unequivocally condemned” adding he as the Speaker took cognizance of such attacks on the Opposition leader in particular.
The Speaker’s statement came as a point of rejoicement for the Marxists who instantly lashed out the senior Ministers Partho Chatterjee and Firhad Hakim who had earlier denied such incidents having taken place and blamed the left leaders for “creating a drama.”
While Chatterjee said “there was no such attack” and “the left leaders are good at dramatizing things” Hakim said “whatever has happened is their internal matter as we have been told that their leaders were attacked by their own men who were unsatisfied with their leadership.”
Reacting to the Speaker’s statement former lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said “after showing the confidence of condemning the misdeeds of his own party men he should now ensure that no future attack takes place on the Opposition parties.”