Agartala, Dec 19: Tripura Assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes over personal allegations relating to Forest Minister Naresh Jamatiya, during which a Trinamool Congress MLA fled with the Speaker’s mace.
During Zero Hour, TMC MLA Sudip Roy Burman, former leader of the opposition, raised the issue published in a local Bengali daily. Jamatiya then stood up and said that the charges published in the newspaper were baseless and it was a conspiracy to malign his image. The minister said that he has filed a defamation suit in a court against the newspaper.
The entire opposition - Congress and TMC - started shouting and demanded a statement from Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who also holds the Home portfolio. Sarkar said the matter was subjudice and opposition members would have to wait for the court’s verdict.
Opposition members trooped to the well and raised slogans demanding that Speaker Ramendra Debnath allow discussion on the matter.
At one point of time, Roy Burman picked up the mace lying on the Speaker’s table and fled from the House. He, however, handed it over to the watch and ward staff in the lobby. The Speaker adjourned the house till 2 PM.
When the House reassembled, the Speaker condemned taking away of the mace.
Afterwards the House functioned normally.
