Trinamul Congress MLAs will request Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay to take stringent action against BJP’s Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari for disrespecting the National Anthem in the Assembly premises. Mr Adhikari, along with other BJP MLAs held a meeting near the venue, where the ruling party MLAs, under the leadership of Mamata Banerjes, were holding a sit-in demonstration. Miss Banerjee and her fellow MLAs were singing the National Anthem when Mr Adhikari and other BJP MLAs began to shout slogans.

Miss Banerjee had said yesterday that Trinamul had taken permission from the Speaker while the BJP’s gathering was illegal. She said that she would request the Speaker to get inputs from the police and footage from the media and take stern action against Mr Adhikari for his discourteous behaviour. Addressing the media, veteran Trinamul Congress leader Tapas Roy said under the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act, 1971, an offender can be imprisoned for three years or fined or both.

He said such behaviour from a senior leader is uncalled for. Trinamul state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said in a bid to divert the attention of people from the flop show at Esplanade, BJP MLAs went to the Assembly with the sole intention to create trouble.

Mr Tapas Roy said the party’s chairperson had requested all the MLAs to maintain cool. “Everywhere, the BJP is provoking Trinamul rank and file which might lead to a clash,” Mr Roy said. Mr Ghosh reiterated that the speech of Amit Shah on corruption was “Useless and he delivered the speech with Suvendu Adhikari, one of the accused in the Narada sting operation and Saradha multicrore scam.

First, he should get Adhikari arrested before making tall statements on corruption.” Mr Roy said BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar had been giving speeches that provoked people. BJP leaders should ask him to restrain, he maintained. Mr Ghosh alleged that the BJP had over and again insulted the national flag.

The MLAs said they were waiting to see what action the Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay takes against Mr Adhikari. He has been suspended from the Assembly’s ongoing Winter Session