Hare Street police station has to probe the reasons that forced chief minister Mamata Banerjee to cancel her news briefing after the state budget was presented, following an FIR lodged by the Trinamul legislature party on Friday afternoon.

The post-noon police complaint came as an afterthought to the ruling party that has been smarting over BJP legislators occupying the press corner at the state Assembly after the 2024-25 state budget was presented the day before and denying Mamata the space.

The Trinamul’s allegation is that the live feed to the chief minister’s press briefing (she was unwell and had decided on holding a virtual one) was disconnected. A team from the Hare Street police station will now have to probe who disconnected the live feed.

What prompted the Trinamul to lodge a police complaint is not immediately clear as the chief minister was heard instructing the staff to disconnect the feed, once it became clear the Opposition BJP was not in any mood to vacate the premises. A Trinamul leader said, "There was a larger conspiracy behind not allowing the chief minister to speak. A probe will unearth that."

After the budget presentation was over, BJP MLAs led by leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari walked out while the National Anthem was being played and started talking to the media.

The chief minister had to wait for a while, but the BJP MLAs did not leave the room.

"I have informed the Speaker already (about the press corner). Our time is precious. They have nothing to do except telling lies, insult Bengal and its people. They are making baseless comments. People don't want to listen to them. If press has accepted to listen to them I won't speak with the media in the future in the Assembly," Mamata had said on Thursday. "They occupied the press corner even before the National Anthem got over. I am sorry. I am the chief minister. People want to listen to me." She had also said that she will not talk to the media in the Assembly in the future.

Things turned uglier later in the evening when the BJP MLAs shouted slogans (“thief, thief”) while the chief minister’s convoy was rolling out. A section of the Assembly staff had rushed at the Opposition MLAs for shouting slogans.

On Friday, Adhikari and some other BJP MLAs went to the Assembly secretary, Sukumar Roy, to complain about the behaviour of the staff. They alleged the staff behaved like Trinamul supporters.“Our security personnel are not allowed inside the premises. Seeing the aggressive behaviour of the staff we are apprehensive of any breach of security,” the MLAs said.

The episode did not end here. Allowing space to the Opposition has been a prickly issue with the current ruling party in Bengal. Press briefings by Opposition leaders at the erstwhile state secretariat, Writers’ Buildings, was stopped after current CPM state secretary Mohammad Salim used the same dais after a meeting with Mamata.

The Opposition in Bengal has been finding it difficult to make itself heard in the Assembly. In the first term of the Trinamul government, it was decided that the Opposition would have to seek prior permission to use the press corner when the House was not in session. While CPM leader Surjya Kanta Mishra was leader of the Opposition, the practice of talking to the media, especially television news channels, on the pavement outside the Assembly (opposite Eden Gardens) had started.

“After 2016 on some occasions, Abdul Mannan was allowed to use the press corner when the Assembly was not in session,” said a former Congress MLA

On Friday, it was decided that even while the session was on the Opposition would have to seek permission to use the press corner with the condition that the interaction with the media will not go beyond 45 minutes.

“If that is what they have decided, then we will bring tables and chairs and sit on the pavement to address the media,” said Adhikari.

On Saturday, the leader of Opposition will express his views on the state budget, which is expected to be a stormy one.It could not be confirmed whether the BJP legislature party will come prepared with tables and chairs in case they decide to talk to the media after that.

The Trinamul brought a privilege motion against Adhikari for obstruction while the state song was being played ahead of the budget speech on Thursday afternoon.