Bengal BJP MLAs face charge of disrespecting national anthem, police plaint lodged

Kolkata: Police complaints were lodged against 11 BJP MLAs of West Bengal charging them with disrespecting the national anthem during a sit-in on the assembly premises earlier this week.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhondeb Chatterjee said the complaints were lodged on behalf of the Trinamool Congress Legislature Party.

The TMC legislators led by party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were singing the national anthem on November 29 at the base of BR Ambedkar's statue before calling off a demonstration against the Centre's “discriminatory attitude” towards West Bengal.

The state’s ruling party accused the BJP legislators of shouting anti-state government slogans and ringing bells while the anthem was sung barely 50 metres away.

The saffron party, however, asserted that even if the anthem was sung by TMC MLAs, it was being done in a very low volume, inaudible from their protest spot and alleged that efforts were on to frame them in fabricated charges.

"The BJP has shown scant respect to the national anthem and appropriate action is being initiated,” senior minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said.

Assembly Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay also said that appropriate steps would be taken.

An assembly secretariat source said the Hare Street police station has registered FIRs against 11 BJP MLAs in this connection.

Video footage of the alleged incident has been submitted to the police, the source said.

Asked to comment, senior BJP leader and Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh told PTI that they did not realise that the national anthem was being sung.

"Our protest against the TMC's dictatorship and corruption was continuing and we were just a little distance away from the Ambedkar statue. Even if it was sung, it was being done in a very low volume. Why? Did they forget the lyrics of the national anthem? We do not need to learn patriotism from the TMC," he said.

Ghosh, one of the BJP MLAs against whom FIRs were lodged, alleged that the TMC was trying to frame them in fabricated charges to divert the attention of the people.

The BJP's Darjeeling MLA, Neeraj Zimba, said, "We could not hear any song. Our protests were on at that time but it seems the charges were deliberately made."