By Aafreen Hussain
West Bengal witnessed an extraordinary day of political turmoil on Tuesday as two high-profile Trinamool Congress leaders faced suspension from two different legislatures within hours of each other, throwing the party into fresh controversy.
Senior Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee was suspended from the Lok Sabha for the remainder of the session following allegations of making objectionable and misogynistic remarks that allegedly insulted women Members of Parliament. The complaints were reportedly raised by party colleagues, including Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Shatabdi Roy. With the suspension, Banerjee will not be permitted to attend the remaining proceedings of the current session.
Meanwhile, dramatic scenes unfolded in the West Bengal Assembly where Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh was suspended for the day after a heated confrontation during the discussion on the Home Department’s budget.
The controversy erupted when Kunal Ghosh alleged that despite being listed as a speaker, he was deliberately denied an opportunity to participate in the debate because the Ritabrata Banerjee faction officially recognised as the Opposition in the Assembly had removed his name from the speakers’ list.
As Ritabrata faction Chief Whip Akhruzzaman rose to speak, Kunal Ghosh walked towards him, leading to a sharp exchange of words. Amid allegations that Ghosh attempted to physically confront the Chief Whip, the Assembly descended into chaos. Acting on the Speaker’s directions, marshals escorted Kunal Ghosh out of the House, after which he was suspended for the remainder of the day.
Defending his actions outside the Assembly, Kunal Ghosh claimed he was only demanding his democratic right to speak. He accused the BJP of attempting to weaken the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress by promoting what he described as a “dummy opposition” and alleged that genuine opposition voices were being deliberately silenced.
Commenting on Kalyan Banerjee’s suspension from Parliament, Kunal Ghosh came out in his support, alleging that the disciplinary action was politically motivated. He asserted that Kalyan Banerjee had done nothing wrong and reiterated that the senior MP would remain loyal to Mamata Banerjee despite the controversy.
The twin suspensions in Parliament and the State Assembly on the same day have intensified political tensions in West Bengal and once again highlighted the deepening divisions within the Trinamool Congress. The developments are expected to trigger fresh political debate in the days ahead, with both the ruling establishment and the rival Trinamool factions likely to continue trading accusations over the unprecedented events. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee strongly condemned the alleged use of force against MLA Kunal Ghosh after his suspension from the West Bengal Assembly, calling it an attack on democratic values and pledging to resist any attempt to silence the party. However, Abhishek made no comment on senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee’s suspension from the Lok Sabha earlier the same day. The contrasting responses have triggered political debate, with critics questioning whether the party is applying different standards to its leaders or if the silence reflects internal political dynamics within the Trinamool Congress.