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| Bengal Assembly opened to public to see effects of rampage | | |
KOLKATA, DEC 1
Thousands of people including school children queued up today to have a glimpse of the vandalised West Bengal assembly as the House chamber was thrown open to the public for the first time to enable the public to see the damage caused during a rampage by Trinamool Congress MLAs.
Despite a 12-hour bandh called by the Trinamool Congress, thousands queued up at the main gate of the assembly as security staff let them in after thorough checks.
Broken valuable furniture, wrenched microphones, torn business papers, ransacked records and rule books lay strewn all over the House chamber and the lobby -- which were encircled by ropes -- highlighting the vandalisation of the premises during yesterday's session.
Police, accompanied by the marshal and watch and ward staff, guided the public to move around and see the damage caused by Trinamool Congress legislators after party chief Mamata Banerjee stormed into the premises after she was stopped by police from going to Singur to campaign against the Tata Motors' project there.
Assembly sources said the House would be kept open for the public from 10 am to 4 pm for three days from today so that they could witness the effects of the rampage.
The assembly is a protected place and only those with passes can enter the House to witness proceedings from the public gallery with the speaker's permission.
Speaker H A Halim yesterday issued an order saying the assembly chamber and the lobby would be opened to the public so that they could see the extent of damage in the House.
Among the important visitors to the assembly today was state CPI-M secretary and Left Front Chairman Biman Bose, who described the vandalism by the MLAs as a "disgrace".
"Let the people of Bengal see for themselves who has vandalised our assembly house. Those who keep the company of the Trinamool leader should see what has been done to the House," an agitated Bose said. "Are they politicians or a disgrace?"
Bose was of the view that some outsiders also sneaked into the assembly yesterday to take part in the ransacking. "I saw an old man (shown on TV channels) instigating the ransacking. He is not an MLA. Let police enquire," he said.
Referring to Mamata Banerjee's role, he said, "An MP has the right to visit an assembly but does not enjoy any right to instigate (people)."
To a question if the erring MLAs should be punished, Bose said the speaker would take a decision in this regard. |
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