Slipper flung at Speaker, 67 MLAs suspended in Bihar

M.today

Patna, July 21: 67 opposition MLAs in Bihar were suspended for unruly behaviour and marshalled out as utter chaos prevailed inside and outside the Assembly on Wednesday during which a slipper was flung at the Speaker and a woman member threw several flower pots around. 

 
The slogan-shouting members who included 42 RJD MLAs were suspended by Assembly Speaker Udai Narain Choudhry for the rest of the monsoon session with both the Assembly and the Legislative council in the poll-bound state witnessing turmoil for the second straight day. They were marshalled out one by one by the watch and ward staff.

More drama prevailed outside the Legislative Council when a suspended Congress MLC Jyoti Kumari animatedly threw flower pots and created a ruckus when the watch and ward staff tried to prevent her from entering the house.

A hysterical Kumari was dragged a few feet by three women watch and ward staff from the Council premises. The scene inside was no better when RJD MLC Sanjay Prasad removed a microphone and hurled it triggering angry responses from the treasury benches.

RJD MLA R C Paswan, who was marshalled out of the Assembly, reportedly fainted at the gate of the house. He was taken in an ambulance to a government hospital.

The suspension of the MLAs came shortly after around 80 opposition members taking a cue from their opposition counterparts in Karnataka spent the night in the well of the two houses of the state legislature.

The Opposition who are on a dharna is demanding the resignation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over a CAG report which alleged financial irregularities in the state. As the watch and ward staff lifted RJD MLA Bablu Dev, his colleagues rushed to his rescue. In the melee, a slipper was thrown towards the Speaker’s podium. It was not immediately known who had flung the footwear which, however, did not hit the Speaker.

State RJD President Abdul Bari Siddiqui and RJD deputy leader in the Assembly Shakeel Ahmed Khan were among those suspended. Besides the 42 RJD MLAs who were suspended from the Assembly, the other members who faced action included 11 from LJP.

Opposition members yesterday overturned desks and chairs, broke microphones and virtually came to blows with ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance MLAs on the floor of the houses. Today’s action against the MLAs came  after they disobeyed the directive of the Speaker to let the House function.

A resolution for the suspension of the MLAs was brought in the House by state parliamentary affairs in-charge Brijendra Prasad Yadav, which was passed by voice vote amid protests by opposition members. Later, the Speaker ordered that all MLAs protesting in the well of the House be marshalled out of the House.

The Opposition MLAs and MLCs said they would continue their dharna in both the Houses till their demand is met. "We will not lift the agitation till this corrupt government resigns", RJD deputy leader in the Assembly Shakeel Ahmad Khan told reporters. Council Chairman T K Jha had yesterday suspended 14 opposition MLCs for the day. following unruly scenes in the House.

After 16 MLAs were initially marshalled out, the minister Yadav once again brought a fresh resolution seeking suspension of all the Opposition MLAs for their unruly behaviour today in the house, which too was adopted by voice vote. When contacted, the speaker’s office confirmed that in all 67 MLAs on dharna were suspended for the rest of period of the monsoon session scheduled to end on Friday.

After the Opposition MLAs were marshalled out, Deputy Speaker Choudhary charged the speaker with "being partial and acting at the behest of government and called for his resignation.

"It is a shame for the parliamentary democracy and lowered the prestige of the constitutional posts," Choudhary said while apparently referring to the security personnel disallowing him from entering the state assembly last evening after the offices were closed.

"Either Choudhary should quit or I will quit," he said and left the House in a huff with the state minister Yadav Opposing Choudhary’s remarks against the chair.