WB Speaker bans press conferences in Assembly premises

Kolkata: West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Friday issued an order that press conferences could no longer be held in the House premises except during sessions, drawing angry reaction from opposition CPI(M) which dubbed it as 'autocratic' and 'unacceptable'.

The order came following a press conference by Leader of the Opposition Suryakanta Mishra at the media centre of the Assembly premises yesterday.

The Speaker, in a letter to Mishra, belonging to CPI(M), said "pursuant to the request of the private secretary of the Leader of the Opposition, the honourable Speaker requested the Leader of the Opposition to wind up the press conference within 15 minutes (from 4:30 pm to 4:45 pm yesterday).

"But it is reported in the print and electronic media that the said press meet continued far beyond," the letter said.

Mishra, at a press conference in the CPI(M) office said "we condemn the move to gag us. They cannot throttle our voice. This is a clear sign of an autocratic trend which is being gradually exposed. We cannot accept this.

"The order is unprecedented and clearly violative of the norms of parliamentary democracy," Mishra said.

Mishra said that due to questions by mediapersons, yesterday's press conference took a longer time which was 'normal'.

"But this is not only a matter of gross interference in my rights but the democratic rights of all concerned," he said quoting the letter shot off to him by the Speaker through the Assembly secretary.

Asked if the Left was the target of the government, Mishra said "it begins with the Left and the Leader of the Opposition."

Mishra said he would register his protest in writing with the Speaker.