Both Houses of Bihar Legislature today witnessed commotion and adjournments over a minister asking a crowd to hit with shoes the photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "failing to end" their demonetisation woes.
The BJP members staged protest demanding sacking of Congress minister Abdul Jalil Mastan, who was present in the Assembly, and registration of a sedition case against him for the act.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condemned the incident while Congress and Mastan himself expressed regret. However, failed to pacify the BJP whose members forced the adjournment of both the Houses till 2 PM amid noisy scenes.
Asked about his reaction to the minister's utterances, the Chief Minister told reporters, "It is wrong to make uncharitable comments."
The controversy erupted following the telecast of a video by a TV channel purportedly showing a February 22 incident when a crowd was protesting against demonetisation at Amour, Mastan's constituency in Purnea district.
In the video, Mastan, the Excise and Prohibition Minister, was heard telling the crowd the PM had said that if he fails to end people's woes within 50 days of demonetisation, he was prepared to face any punishment.
The video then shows Mastan asking people to hit the PM's photograph with shoes, following which a few in the crowd then hit Modi's photograph, kept on a chair on the stage.
As the House sat for the day, Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar raised the issue and demanded immediate sacking of Mastan. He sought registration of a sedition case against him for his "uncharitable comments" against the PM.
The BJP MLAs rushed to the well and shouted slogans, while a few of them overturned the official reporters' table.
Led by Sushil Kumar Modi, BJP members forced adjournment of the Legislative Council, too.
Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary adjourned the House first till 12 PM. When the situation did not improve after the House resumed, he adjourned it till 2 PM.
The Speaker urged the BJP members to allow the minister concerned to make a statement but they did not allow him to speak by raising slogans.
Mastan, however, expressed regret in the melee.
State Congress president and minister Ashok Choudhary told reporters that his party was against anyone making "uncharitable comments" against the people occupying Constitutional posts.
The din continued in the Assembly when the House resumed at 2 PM forcing Speaker to adjourn it for the day.
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Mastan, escorted by Choudhary, later expressed regret for his comment before the media.
"If my utterances have hurt anybody I express regret," Mastan told reporters.
But earlier while talking to journalists, Mastan said he had left the programme at Amour in 10 minutes and did not know what happened later.
Asked if he was questioning the authenticity of the video that showed Mastan on stage when the PM's photograph was hit with shoes and chappals, Mastan fumbled and repeated, "I was not there when the incident happened."
Mastan's comments drew criticism even from ruling Grand Alliance parties but they did not forget to point out the "DNA" remark of the PM against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during campaigning of Bihar Assembly election.
RJD president Lalu Prasad did not approve Mastan's comment but he described BJP as a "Fascist party" and pointed to "poisonous" comments of its MP Sakshi Maharaj against minority communities.
Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi alleged that it was a "pre-planned" move to help Congress-SP combine in Uttar Pradesh poll by polarising votes on communal line.
"Why the PM's photograph was kept on the stage in a Congress programme?" Modi asked and claimed that Mastan was close to controversial RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin.
"If Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has any morality he should immediately sack Mastan from Cabinet," he added.
Parliamentary Affairs minister Shrawan Kumar and JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak said in the Assembly that such comments cannot be appreciated.
Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary disapproved comments on PM but asked BJP members to allow Mastan to make a statement.
But BJP members said there was noting to to listen as the video made everything clear.
