Cong MLAs enter WB assembly wearing helmets

Congress MLAs including women members wore helmets when they entered the West Bengal assembly on Wednesday, a day after a scuffle inside the House spun out of control, even as the Speaker ordered a probe into the role of security men during the violence.

Left Front members, meanwhile, walked out of the assembly demanding revocation of the suspension of three Communist Party og India-Marxist MLAs after Tuesday's bedlam, saying the members would not apologise or attend the House, a stand described as adamant by the Mamata Banerjee government.

The assembly turned into a virtual battlefield when the ruling Trinamool Congress and Opposition CPI-M members scuffled and traded blows resulting in injuries to three MLAs, with the Speaker suspending three Marxist members for the remainder of the short winter session.

CPI-M MLA Gouranga Chatterjee received head injuries. TMC MLA Mahmuda Begum was hit in the chest while party colleague Pulak Roy was injured in the leg. All the three were taken to hospital.

As a majority of the 30-odd legislators of the Congress entered the house wearing helmets and holding placards with the inscription "We want to save our heads first", Speaker Biman Banerjee spelt out the rules that wearing of hats or helmets were not permitted inside the house and insisted on their removal. The MLAs then removed the helmets.

The Speaker ordered the inquiry into the role of security men during the violence after Parliamentary Affairs and Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee raised the issue alleging they remained mute spectators when pandemonium broke out.

The Speaker, who had suspended CPI-M members Nazmul Haq, Sushanta Besra and Amjad Hossain for unruly behaviour, said as the suspended members did not apologise he could not revoke the suspension on his own.

He said a motion would have to be moved under rule 348 of the assembly rules to know the sense of the house.

The Speaker suggested an all-party meeting be held before the business advisory meet, which was rejected by the Left Front members.

Leader of Opposition Suryakanta Mishra belonging to the CPI-M told newspersons "We will carry on with our demonstration outside the House till the suspensions are revoked and action taken against the attackers."