West Bengal’s legislative assembly was rocked by unprecedented chaos Thursday as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee clashed with opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators during a heated debate on alleged harassment of Bengalis outside the state, resulting in shouting matches, scuffles with marshals and the suspension of two opposition lawmakers.

The uproar began almost immediately after Banerjee stood up to deliver her speech in a special session convened to discuss reports of Bengalis facing discrimination in other Indian states. BJP members rose from their benches, shouting slogans and interrupting her remarks.

Speaker Biman Banerjee repeatedly urged them to allow the chief minister to speak, even granting them permission to respond once she finished. But the BJP MLAs refused to yield and continued shouting, prompting the Speaker to suspend BJP legislator Shankar Ghosh under Rule 348 of the House.

When marshals moved in to escort him out, Ghosh resisted and fell to the floor in the well of the House. Scuffles broke out as other BJP members surrounded him, tearing papers and throwing them in protest. After several minutes of jostling, marshals physically removed him, as BJP MLAs shouted “one-two-three-four, Trinamool is full of thieves.”

Banerjee, known for her combative style, hit back immediately. She led ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislators in counter-slogans: “one-two-three-four, BJP are the biggest thieves” and “Modi chor (Modi thief).” She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party of being a “party of vote thieves” and charged that the BJP had “sold off the country.”

“You are a party of thieves, of vote robbers,” she shouted. “India needs change. Remove BJP, save the country. Remove the anti-Bengal BJP, save the country. You will be reduced to zero.”

As tensions soared, Banerjee herself left her chair and entered the well of the House — a rare move by a sitting chief minister — to rein in her.