Kolkata

Speaker Biman Banerjee on Saturday allowed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay to move a proposal in the West Bengal assembly, condemning the comments made by BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul about allocation of funds to madrasas in the interim budget.

As the House assembled for the day, the speaker said he was allowing Chattopadhyay to move the proposal, condemning certain comments made by Paul, "allegedly directed against a section of minority community members" during her speech on the vote on account on Friday.

"Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay alleged in a letter signed by several other senior members that Agnimitra Paul's comments were against the secular spirit of our country and this august House. I had already made it clear yesterday that such comments will not be allowed," he said.

"Mr Chattopadhyay have made certain allegations along

with other MLAs and demanded action. The matter is under my consideration," he added.

Chattopadhyay claimed in the letter that Paul said spending money for madrasa education is in effect funding a section of anti-social elements among the minority community, according to the speaker.

This is hateful and extremely dangerous, and we demand exemplary action against her, he said.

As the speaker allowed Chattopadhyay to move the proposal, BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the House.

Senior BJP MLA Mihir Goswami said the TMC government was an "appeasement government".

"This is against the law and the principles of justice. We did not wish to boycott the proceedings on the last day of this session before the elections," he told reporters after the walkout.

While the speaker said Paul's comments were expunged from House records, Goswami maintained that from the turn of events and the allegations made by Chattopadhyay, it was clear that no part of her speech was expunged, and "she did not say anything offensive".

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"This action by the speaker was prompted by the pressure exerted by two TMC ministers from the minority community," he claimed.

The BJP MLAs returned to the House after the brief demonstration.