Kolkata, Feb 7 (PTI) Women BJP MLAs of West Bengal on Wednesday staged a protest in the assembly alleging a rise in atrocities against women in the state.

Led by BJP women's wing state president Agnimitra Paul, five women MLAs shouted slogans and displayed black scarves after their demand for tabling an adjournment motion on the issue was refused by Speaker Biman Bandyopadhay.

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The protest came in response to alleged recent incidents of assaults against women, including the murder of a 10-year-old girl in Malda, a gang-rape in Digha, and another case of abuse and murder in Murshidabad.

The BJP MLAs demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the matter, criticising her silence despite being a woman.

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After leaving the assembly hall, Agnimitra Paul expressed disappointment with the CM's silence and reiterated the demand for her to address the issue.

The BJP MPs later displayed black flags outside the assembly gate.

Speaker Biman Bandyopadhay clarified that while the BJP MLAs were free to raise the issue during discussions in the House, their demand for an adjournment motion could not be considered.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sovandev Chatterjee criticised the BJP legislators for prioritising protests over participating in legislative proceedings, stating that they seemed more interested in creating disruptions in the House than engaging in constructive debates.

"I am a legislator for over three decades. I have seen how the opposition conducted themselves in the assembly over the years," Chatterjee told reporters.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)