Tripura: Speaker suspends 5 opposition MLAs for ‘disrupting budget proceedings’

Leader of the opposition and TIPRA Motha MLA Animesh Debbarma sought a discussion on the ‘’misconduct’’ of Nath and asked whether an adjournment motion could be moved against the BJP leader. But he was asked to resume chair

Five opposition legislators, including three from TIPRA Motha, one each from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Congress, were suspended from Tripura Assembly for the day for disrupting proceedings of the opening day of the budget session on Friday.

Ruckus in Tripura Assembly during budget session (Twitter Photo)

Assembly Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen suspended TIPRA Motha MLAs Brishaketu Debbarma, Nandita Reang and Ranjit Debbarma, Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman and CPM MLA Nayan Sarkar as the legislators created a ruckus demanding action against BJP MLA Jadab Lal Nath for “watching porn videos on mobile phone in the last Assembly session this March”.

A video of Nath, an MLA from the Bagbassa constituency, went viral on social media, in which he was caught watching porn on his mobile phone during an ongoing discussion on vote-on-account in the assembly session.

With the beginning of the budget session of the 13th Tripura Assembly today, Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman was seen entering the House with a bottle of ‘Gangajal’ and sprinkling it in the Assembly.

Leader of the opposition and TIPRA Motha MLA Animesh Debbarma sought a discussion on the ‘’misconduct’’ of Nath and asked whether an adjournment motion could be moved against the BJP leader. But he was asked to resume chair.

Later, opposition legislators assembled in the Well of the Assembly and raised slogans demanding action against Nath. A few also climbed on the table as part of their protest.

As the protest continued for nearly an hour, chief minister Dr Manik Saha urged the Speaker to suspend the five MLAs for “creating disturbances during proceedings in the House”. Accordingly, the Speaker suspended five MLAs for the day.

Amidst the ruckus, Assembly Speaker Biswabandhu Sen directed finance minister Pranajit Singha Roy to present the budget for 2023–24. Roy read out Rs.27,654.45 crore ‘tax-free’ for the current fiscal year.

Though the opposition urged to reconsider the suspension order of the legislators, the Speaker refused to do so. Opposition members later staged a walkout from the assembly to protest against the Speaker’s decision.

Calling the Speaker’s order unfortunate, Royal scion and chief of TIPRA Motha Pradyot Kishore Debbarma said that the government must take action against the BJP MLA if they are concerned about upholding the dignity and sanity of the House.

“It is unfortunate that the hon’ble Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly didn’t take any cognisance, let alone take action on the MLA Jadab Lal Nath, who was caught watching obscene content (porn) in the assembly (during the last session), but instead suspended 5 opposition MLAs (3 TIPRA Motha MLAs) who were demanding due action on the concerned MLA,” he said.

“If the government and the speaker is so much concerned about upholding the sanity and dignity of the house, then they must take prompt action against the MLA who brought shame to the whole state by his heinous act inside the temple of democracy #TripuraAssembly,” Pradyot wrote on his social media.