NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress members on Tuesday staged a walk-out from the Rajya Sabha, alleging that their party colleagues were being threatened by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries in West Bengal.
TMC member Derek O'Brien said "open threats" were being issued to his party colleagues and functionaries in the state.
Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said the matter could not be taken up since he had not been given the notice to speak on the issue.
"In a democracy, the state agencies are controlled by the government. They cannot be controlled by the ruling party," the parliamentarian said.
When Derek O'Brien was not allowed to speak on the issue, he staged a walk out from the Rajya Sabha with other TMC members.