Trinamool members create ruckus in House

The Trinamool Congress' campaign against acquisition of farm land for a Tata Motor's project took a violent turn today when its MLAs clashed with the ruling Left Front members in the Assembly and ransacked property.

Trouble erupted when Banerjee barged into the Assembly premises after she was prevented by police from going to Singur, 35 km from here, to lead a march against the handing over of land for Tata Motor's small car project.

Banerjee, who took security staff at the Assembly by surprise, alleged she was assaulted by police while going to Singur.

This prompted Trinamool MLAs to go on the rampage. They ransacked furniture, wrenched microphones and damaged record books and other property after exchanging blows with the Left Front members. The fracas left 13 people, including nine MLAs, injured.

Speaker HA Halim adjourned the House, which was discussing a no-confidence motion jointly moved by the Trinamool and the Congress against the Left Front government.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who was in his Assembly chamber at the time, said, "It is an unprecedented attack on parliamentary democracy. It is a violent expression of their (Trinamool's) defeatist mentality."