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21 students sentenced for stalling WB assembly proceedings

In an unprecedented incident, West Bengal Assembly Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim today sentenced 21 Chhatra Parishad supporters to three days' simple imprisonment for storming into the house and stalling its proceedings. They were protesting against the government's decision to gradually withdraw higher secondary (plus two) courses from colleges.

The accused members of the Congress party's student wing were sent to the Presidency Jail for three days after they repented their action before the speaker.

When the house re-assembled after the second adjournment at 4.10 pm all the 21 accused were brought to the specially-erected dock of the House and asked by the speaker whether they repent their action and if they would repeat it if let off lightly this time.

When the accused admitted that they were in the wrong the speaker said the gravity of the situation must not be overlooked and it must be ensured that such incidents did not recur. He ordered them three days' simple imprisonment, describing the act as ''a semi-terrorist act which was conducted in a near-violent manner.''

Later, the Congress members decided to boycott the session till the accused were released and staged a walkout as soon as the speaker gave his ruling.

Opposition leader Satish Sinha said they should not have been sent to jail but admonished. He, however, agreed that the students did not do the right thing by entering the House and stalling the proceedings. He also blamed the security staff for lapses and demanded an inquiry.

The speaker will call a meeting tomorrow. He ordered that all visitors accompanying Members of Legislative Assembly would have to get down at the first entry point as a security measure and walk down to the House with proper passes.

While Communist Party of India-Marxist chief whip Rabin Mondal demanded stern action against the accused, opposition chief whip Abdul Mannan asked the speaker to consider the situation compassionately.

The House, after reassembling for the post-lunch session, was engaged in the budget discussion of the panchayat department when a group of about eight Chattra Parishad supporters, believed to be students of the City College, entered the house through the speaker's gallery hoodwinking the security staff.

The students raised slogans like bande mataram and lodged their protest against the decision of the government. This created an unprecedented situation within the House. As the members did not know what to do the deputy speaker adjourned the house for half-an-hour from 3.06 pm.

Later, altogether 21agitators were arrested by the assembly security staff.

Security was tightened around the assembly as more students gathered outside the House and continued their protest.

UNI

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