Two-day assembly session begins in Bengal, TMC to table resolution opposing fram laws

The two-day special Assemblyassembly session in Bengal began here with obituary referencesmade during the first half of Wednesday.

Members of the ruling TMC, the opposition Left frontand the Congress attended the session, as Speaker BimanBandyopadhyay paid homage to MLAs and other prominentpersonalities who died last year.

On Thursday, the TMC will table a resolution opposingthe Centre's new farm laws, and demanding its immediatewithdrawal.

The resolution will be introduced under Rule 169during the second half of the day, state parliamentary affairsminister Partha Chatterjee said.

The state government's effort to bring the oppositionCongress and the Left Front on the same table, however, failedas both the parties insisted that the resolution be broughtunder rule 185.

They also sought repeal of another agricultural lawthat came into effect in 2014, under the Mamata Banerjeegovernment.

Under rule 169, the government pilots a resolution inthe assembly, whereas any party can move a resolution in theHouse under rule 185.

The two parties, however, said that they would takepart in the discussions and place their viewpoint on the floorof the House.

BJP legislative party leader Manoj Tigga said thesaffron party would oppose the resolution.

So far, five non-BJP-ruled states -- Punjab,Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Kerala and Delhi -- have passedresolutions in their respective assemblies against thecontentious legislations.

Two others bills -- one related to an agriculturaluniversity and the other to GST might also be taken up fordiscussion on Thursday in the House.