By PTI
NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned briefly on Friday after TMC MPs trooped into the well of the House protesting against BJP member Roopa Ganguly’s insinuations of political killings in West Bengal.
Ganguly broke down as she raised the issue of eight people, including two children, being burnt to death in the state’s Birbhum district, saying to be born in West Bengal is not a crime.
During the Zero Hour (morning session), she raised the issue of deaths in Bogtui village of Birbhum and demanded that President’s Rule be imposed in the state.
“(People) were burnt to death. There is no trust in police,” Ganguly said, adding that the autopsy report points out that the victims were first beaten up and locked up, before being burnt to death.
She termed the incident “mass killing” and also referred to other “political killings” in the state.
“West Bengal is a part of India. Roopa Ganguly demands President’s Rule in the state. We have a right to live. It is not a crime to be born in West Bengal,” the BJP member said as she broke down.
As she raised the matter, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) members started protesting and countered the allegations.
Some of them trooped into the well raising slogans.
The members on the treasury benches too got engaged in counter-sloganeering.
Deputy Chairman Harivansh tried to restore order in the House, but the protesting members were unrelenting.
The deputy chairman then adjourned the proceedings for about 25 minutes till 12.10 pm.
After the brief adjournment, the House went ahead with the scheduled Question Hour.
Eight people, including two children, were charred to death in Bogtui village of Bengal’s Birbhum district in the suspected fallout of a TMC panchayat official’s murder.
Opposition parties on Friday welcomed the high court order for CBI investigation into the violence that claimed eight lives in Bengal’s Birbhum district earlier this week, alleging that the state police, acting on the behest of the TMC government, was trying to hush up the matter.
The ruling TMC, cautious in its response, said all cooperation would be extended to the CBI.
The Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered a CBI investigation into Birbhum violence stating that the decision was taken in the interest of justice.
The court directed an SIT formed by the Bengal government to hand over all probe-related papers and the accused persons arrested by it to the central agency.
“We welcome the court’s decision. Only a CBI probe can bring out the truth as the police, acting as agents of the ruling party, were trying to suppress the matter,” state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said.
Echoing him, CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said his party was hopeful that the CBI would carry out a fair probe.
“We wanted a court-monitored CBI probe into the Birbhum incident. The state government had been trying to shield the culprits,” he claimed.
The ruling TMC, however, said the state government, so far, had been doing its bit to unravel the truth.
“The court has given an order and we will abide by it. All cooperation will be extended to the CBI. The state government had taken enough action to probe the matter so far. Several arrests have also been made. It is for the CBI to look into the case now,” TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.
