Kolkata, Feb 17 (IANS): The BJP legislative party in the West Bengal Assembly has submitted a privilege motion against Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya for an alleged unparliamentary word used by her against a BJP legislator.

Fashion designer-turned-Asansol South MLA Agnimitra Paul submitted a written proposal on the motion of privilege against Bhattacharya at the office of Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay.

The controversy started on Friday morning in the house when Speaker spotted BJP legislator from Natabari assembly constituency Mihir Goswami rubbing some substance appearing like khaini (chewing tobacco) on his palm, and cautioned him, telling him that the house was not the right place to prepare and consume tobacco.

However, Goswami placed that substance in his mouth and claimed that it was not chewing tobacco but 'ajwain' (carom seeds). The matter ended there for the time being.

But later in the day, during her speech on the floor of the house, Bhattacharya referred to the incident and allegedly used an unparliamentary word against Goswami. The Speaker expunged that particular word from the proceedings of the house but that did not satisfy the BJP and they submitted a privilege motion.

"The state Finance Minister used an unparliamentary word against one of our legislators. So have decided to move a motion of privilege in protest. She cannot use such an unparliamentary word against our legislator. The Trinamool Congress representatives regularly use unparliamentary words within the Parliament," Paul later told media persons.

Reacting to her comments, Bhattachrya said that she is not afraid of the motion of privilege. "The women legislators of BJP remained silent when their male counterparts constantly disturbed and insulted me during my speech. Actually, they have nothing constructive to do and so they are resorting to such things," she said.