The Opposition Left Front on Thursday created an uproar in the House against the state government circular specifying only a few newspapers for subscription by state, state-sponsored and state-aided libraries, before staging a walkout. A delegation of the Left Front Legislature Party also called on governor M.K. Narayanan in the afternoon over the issue.
The Opposition had wanted to move an adjournment motion in the House on the issue.
Speaker Biman Banerjee refused to admit the motion, but allowed mover CPI(M) MLA Anisur Rahaman to read the abridged version of the original motion.
Mr Rahaman read the motion, but the Left Front MLAs continued their demand to adjourn the House for holding a discussion on the issue which they felt was an attack on press and democracy. They even displayed some placards, demanding to withdraw the circular. But when the Speaker did not adjourn the House, the Opposition members trooped into the well. They gheraoed the Speaker for few minutes and raised slogans before walking out from the House.
Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra said: “This government since assuming office has not been following the democratic norms... This circular is a move to gag the voice of the press and a conspiracy to bring about a division in the press.”