The opposition stalled assembly proceedings and staged a walk-out for the second day on Tuesday over the assault on former Left Front minister and senior Forward Bloc leader Naren Dey allegedly by Trinamool Congress workers on December 8 at Dhaniakhali in Hooghly district.

The 76-year-old Dey, who sustained injuries in both eyes and chin after being attacked with sticks, was admitted to Imambara hospital at Chinsurah and then shifted to a private hospital in Kolkata. According to reports, Dey and another former MLA Ajit Patra were holding a meeting of party workers at the Forward Bloc office in Madanmohantolla area of Dhaniakhali on the evening of December 8 when Trinamool Congress workers allegedly attacked them. They accused the workers of the Left party of making lewd remarks against women who were participating in a Trinamool rally that was passing by the office at that time.

Trinamool sources said the attack was a result of factionalism in the Forward Bloc and now the party was shifting blame. "What Dey is doing is absolute drama. The police are investigating the case and whoever is responsible will be arrested soon," said Partha Chatterjee, minister for commerce and industries and parliamentary affairs.

But the opposition alleged that the police were not doing anything. "No arrest has been made though we lodged a complaint on Monday. The perpretators are moving about freely. It is jungle raj," said Anisur Rehman, Left Front dep-uty leader in the assembly. The police said they were looking into the case. "We admit no arrest could be made so far. But let us probe the case," said Hooghly SP Sunil Choudhury.

The opposition parties have demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and a discussion in the assembly. They said they would bring all work in the assembly to a halt till a discussion was held. "We won't allow normal business to be carried out if our demands were not met," said Rehman.

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