Bihar Assembly adjourned minutes after commencement

The Bihar Assembly was adjourned within minutes of commencement Tuesday as the opposition created a ruckus demanding discussion on "deteriorating" law and order situation in the state.

Members of parties like the RJD, the Congress and the CPI (ML) had alleged that the Home department was excluded from the business of the current session to disallow debate on the issue.

The opposition MLAs trooped into the well as the House assembled at 11 am raising slogans against the Nitish Kumar government and demanding discussion on the adjournment motion moved by them on the matter.

Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary pleaded with the opposition members to go back to their seats and allow the Question Hour. The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shravan Kumar said if opposition leaders wanted to raise any issue urgently, they could do so from their respective seats.

 

Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said that the discussion on the adjournment motion was necessary as the law and order situation in the state had "deteriorated" alarmingly and drew attention to a recent incident in which Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi had allegedly urged criminals with folded hands to refrain from anti-social activities during the 'Pitri Paksh' fair at Gaya.

As the noise continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm.

Later, talking to reporters outside the Assembly premises, Yadav along with Congress legislature party leader Sadanand Singh and other prominent opposition MLAs said "all departments held by the chief minister, including Home and General Administration, were excluded from the business of current session. The opposition was left with mo other choice but to raise the matter through an adjournment motion. Even that is not allowed."

Law and order in Bihar has collapsed. The Muzaffarpur shelther home sex scandal is still fresh in the mind of the people. The Deputy CM had to cajole criminals that they give up their anti-social activities for a few days. In Sitamarhi last month, an old man was lynched by a mob and his body set afire in one of the worst incidents of communal violence seen in recent times," Yadav alleged.

Before the House assembled, MLAs of the CPI(ML) were seen staging a demonstration in front of the main entrance carrying placards denouncing the Sitamarhi incident and alleging involvement of the BJP which is in power in the state. The placards also flayed the BJP for raking up the Ayodhya issue.

MLAs of the Congress and the RJD also stood alongside raising slogans to the effect.

"Also, corruption is scaling new heights under the current regime. Irregularities have come to the fore in BUIDCO (Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation). We challenge the government to get it investigated properly and we would be staring at the biggest corruption scandal in the states history," Yadav said.

Shravan Kumar denied the oppositions charge that Home department was "deliberately excluded" from business.

"The question of notice for discussion on any subject will be allowed if it was in accordance with the rules of proceedings. If the opposition show obstinacy, then we'll have a stalemate," the parliamentary affairs minister added.