Opposition RJD, Congress and CPI-ML in Bihar Assembly today protested in both Houses of the Bihar legislature accusing the state government of failing to provide proper relief to flood victims and staged a walkout from the Assembly following multiple adjournments.
As the state Assembly met for the day, RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui drew Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary's attention to an adjournment notice given by party members on floods and urged him to suspend all business and take up the issue.
The speaker, citing rules, said adjournment notice could be taken up only at an appropriate time.
Chaudhary said he was ready to call a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the House to fix a time for a special debate on floods.
But, RJD, Congress and CPI-ML members raise anti- government slogans from the Well of the House.
Reacting to the charge, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi lambasted the RJD for "mobilising people" for its August 27 rally at Gandhi Maidan, but being "insensitive" towards the flood victims.
He said he had appealed to RJD president Lalu Prasad to postpone the rally and render services in the inundated areas.
Siddiqui, however, turned down the appeal.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shrawan Kumar said the government was prepared for any debate as per rules.
With the din refusing to subside, the Speaker adjourned the Assembly till 2 PM.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was not present when opposition and treasury bench members indulged in verbal spat.
When the House reassembled at 2 pm, Lalit Yadav of the RJD again drew the Speaker's attention to the adjournment notice.
The RJD, Congress and CPI-ML members rushed to the well of the House raising slogans over government's "inability" to provide relief to flood victims.
Siddiqui again demanded that the adjournment motion be taken up and the speaker rejected it afresh citing rules.
Amid sloganeering, CPI(ML) member Mehboob Alam stood up on the reporter's table.
The speaker then adjourned the house till 4.55 pm barely 10 minutes after it met at 2 pm.
When the House met again at 4:55, the din continued.
Leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav raised the issue of the adjournment motion, although his voice could not be properly heard amid the din in the House.
The opposition later staged a walk out.
Meanwhile, Sushil Modi said in the Assembly that he had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit flood hit areas in the capacity of the deputy chief minister and not in his individual capacity.
Seeking to create a wedge between the JD(U) and BJP, RJD chief Lalu Prasad yesterday said that Sushil Modi has claimed that the PM is coming to Bihar on his request.
In the state Legislative Council too, Congress and RJD members registered protests over "inadequate" flood relief arrangements and over the Srijan NGO scam at Bhagalpur forcing Deputy Chairman Harun Rashid to adjourn the House till 2.30 pm.
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