BJP MLAs protest in the West Bengal Assembly against the dengue outbreak on November 22, 2022. Photo credit: Debashish Bhaduri
West Bengal Assembly witnessed din for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as BJP legislators protested inside and outside the House Dengue outbreak in the state,
The BJP Legislature Party had moved an adjournment motion in the House over the outbreak. Although Speaker Biman Banerjee allowed the BJP legislators to read the resolution, there was no discussion on the issue. Later BJP MLAs raised slogans and staged a walkout.
The Leader of the Opposition said, “We had demanded that the government should make a statement in the House, but it was not allowed.” Shubhendu Adhikari Told the media persons.
Mr. Adhikari alleged that the State Health Minister (Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) is hardly present in the House and questions related to the health department are not answered. The BJP MLAs had brought placards with large cut-outs of mosquitoes and protested using mosquito nets in the assembly premises.
On Monday, the BJP Legislature Party protested inside the assembly over the remarks made by West Bengal minister Akhil Giri on President Draupadi Murmu.
Responding to the protest by the BJP legislators, Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the legislators were only trying to disrupt the proceedings of the House.
The minister said, “Yesterday where they had put up the photo of the honorable President, today the same MLAs have put up a badge with the picture of mosquitoes.” He asked what steps the Leader of the Opposition has taken to create awareness among people to prevent the outbreak.
Dengue outbreak has been severe in the state this year with over 50 deaths and over 50,000 infection cases reported so far. Leaders of the ruling party have blamed the lax attitude of the people for the outbreak. The chief minister on Monday held a review meeting of the state health department and discussed the issue of the outbreak.