"Is CM's car checked?" Agnimitra Paul fumes over security check at Bengal Assembly

A fresh controversy erupted at the West Bengal Assembly on Thursday as BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul vehemently protested the ongoing searches of vehicles entering the premises, leading to a heated argument with police personnel. The BJP has consistently expressed its anger over these security checks, which began on June 13th, alleging they are politically motivated and discriminatory. Paul's confrontation with the security details highlights the escalating tensions between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP within the state's legislative complex.

On Thursday, Agnimitra Paul, the BJP MLA from Asansol South, challenged the security guard, directly asking, "Is Mamata Banerjee's car checked?" The security guard responded by stating he was merely following orders. Undeterred, Paul addressed the police personnel on duty, asserting, "The rules are the same for everyone. Is Mamata Banerjee's car also checked? No one is above the law. If my car is searched, the Chief Minister's car will also be checked. I am not asking for any special privileges." This bold stance underscores the BJP's contention that the security measures are specifically targeting their legislators.

Paul further intensified her protest by highlighting perceived double standards regarding vehicle decorations. Displaying a BJP poster, she recounted how security personnel demanded its removal, while "big Trinamool MLAs" have "Egye Bangla" written on their cars and pictures of Mamata Banerjee pasted, without facing any such restrictions. "At that time, they didn't say that cars wouldn't enter. If only this poster is there, they say that cars won't enter? Everything will remain. Nothing will be removed," she declared, refusing to comply with the demand to remove the poster.

The vehicles of the BJP MLAs have been subjected to these stringent searches since June 13th. The BJP leadership maintains that such strictness is being imposed solely to prevent them from staging protests inside the Assembly, effectively curbing their right to dissent. Agnimitra Paul specifically questioned if the heightened security was to prevent anyone from entering the Assembly with a 'Tulsi' plant, referencing past symbolic protests.

However, Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee had addressed these concerns on the very first day of the stricter checks. He clarified that security guards have "clear permission to search" and that "I can't say who is bringing what, only those who are guarding the gate will check. It is a matter of security. So we do not want anything to happen that disrupts the work of the assembly." This statement emphasizes the Speaker's stance that the measures are purely for security reasons, irrespective of party affiliation.