Ruckus erupted in Bihar Assembly today with Opposition BJP members storming the Well of the House over an allegation by a JD(U) member that two former BJP ministers were involved in an over Rs 100 crore scam.
The House had to be adjourned twice after Janata Dal(U) member Manjit Kumar Singh, in his question, regarding payment of insurance money to farmers alleged that two former BJP ministers of the NDA government--Ramadhar Singh and Giriraj Singh--in collusion with the insurance companies had "swindled" over Rs 100 crore.
He sought vigilance probe into the matter.
The member, in his question, had said that as per notification issued by Ramadhar Singh and Giriraj Singh, Cooperative and Animal Husbandry minister respectively in NDA regime, a weather station had to be set up every 15 km in the state by the insurance companies which would give daily weather report to assess loss of crop and compensation payment to farmers.
He sought to know if the notification orders were followed or not.
Minister in-charge Renu Kumari replied that a total of 513 weather stations have been set up in different districts and said she would check if it was in accordance with notification.
Dissatisfied with the answer, the member alleged a scam and demanded vigilance probe into conduct of the two former BJP ministers.
Opposition BJP members were up on their feet to protest against naming the party.
Leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav accused Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary of "breaking" the tradition by allowing a member to name a particular party without prior permission to help the government and sought unconditional apology from the JD(U) member.
He said after BJP left the government in June last year, the two departments have been with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who could have easily get the issue probed.
If the member is talking about vigilance probe than the Chief Minister should also come in the ambit of the inquiry, he said.
When all persuasions of the chair to BJP to return to their seats from the well failed, the Speaker first adjourned the house till 12:30 pm and later till 2:00 pm a little after the House had reassembled.
