WB Assembly condemns Pahalgam attack, to hail armed forces for precision strikes

Kolkata: The monsoon session of the West Bengal Assembly began on Monday with obituary references made by Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay to those who lost their lives in the Pahalgam attack. The assembly will table a resolution on Tuesday appreciating the role of the armed forces for their precision strikes against Pakistan and PoK and to condemn the barbaric attack on tourists in Pahalgam.

Speaker Biman Bandopadyay, during the obituary references on Monday, said, “The House expresses deepest concern against the barbaric attack. Hence, the House strongly condemns the act of terror against the values of humanity. We express condolences for the bereaved families and to all those who have been touched by the tragedy.”

Regarding the resolution on Pahalgam, the Speaker said: “It is a very important motion and I will table it from my Chair. There will be discussion on this for two hours. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will participate in the discussion”.

Meanwhile, BJP MLAs, led by Opposition chief whip Shankar Ghosh, separately offered prayers for the late Haragobindo Das and Chandan Das, the victims of the Murshidabad riots and violence, outside the assembly premises. Ghosh said that the names of the murdered father-son duo were not mentioned in the obituary references by the Speaker.

The late Chandan Das (40) and his father, the late Hargobind Das (70), were allegedly hacked to death by a mob as protests in Murshidabad’s Jafarabad against the new Waqf (Amendment) Act, turned violent in April this year.

A 983-page chargesheet has been submitted against 13 accused by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the West Bengal Police in Murshidabad's Jangipur court last week in connection with the double-murder of father-son duo in Jafarabad.