West Bengal Governor stops address midway, walks out of assembly budget session

Suvendu Adhikari said the Governor’s action amounted to a symbolic rejection of the speech drafted by the Mamata Banerjee government.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday abruptly stopped reading out a written speech in the state assembly during the budget session after about four-and-a-half minutes and walked out of the House, triggering sharp political reactions from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose (left) with chief minister Mamata Banerjee at state assembly in Kolkata on Thursday. (PTI)

Calling the move a deliberate signal, leader of the opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said the Governor’s action amounted to a symbolic rejection of the speech drafted by the Mamata Banerjee government. “This was the governor’s symbolic refusal to read out a speech prepared by the Mamata Banerjee government. He stopped after reading a few lines and laid the paper,” Adhikari told the media.

As Bose exited the House, BJP legislators hailed him with raised voices. Before leaving, the Governor exchanged a few words with chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who placed a shawl around his neck and personally saw him off. Banerjee, however, declined to comment to the media on what was discussed between them.

Article 176 of the Constitution provides that at the commencement of the first session after each general election to a legislative assembly, and at the beginning of the first session of every year, the Governor shall address the assembly, or both Houses in states with a legislative council, and inform the legislature of the reasons for its summons.