Ruling party needs to be more responsible than Opposition: Speaker

The Assembly on Thursday witnessed chaos as the TMC and BJP legislators carrying posters raised slogans against each other inside the House.

Speaker Banerjee said such acts are tantamount to violation of rules and regulations of the Assembly. “’Every party has its political agenda. Just like the Opposition, the ruling party too has its agenda. But bringing in posters inside the House is not allowed. They have been defiant despite being told repeatedly,” he said. “At times I feel that I should enforce the rules and regulations strictly. But that might lead to the business of the House being hampered. I feel the Opposition must behave responsibly but the ruling party should behave more responsibly,” added the Speaker.

During the budget session in March, the TMC and BJP legislators had come to blows inside the House. Both sides engaged in fisticuffs, leading to the hospitalisation of some of the legislators.

This had happened after heated arguments over killings in Birbhum district.

State urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Friday said the under-construction Tala bridge in north Kolkata will be opened for traffic before Durga Puja. The minister said this after holding a meeting with the stakeholders. He informed that the load test report of the bridge will be available soon. “Once it comes, we will throw open the bridge for traffic before Durga Puja. There was some issues over construction of some staircases. That has been resolved,” said Hakim.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to inaugurate the bridge on September 29, it is learnt.