BJP MLAs hold mock proceedings inside assembly

The opposition BJP in Bihar on Friday held mock proceedings inside the assembly while the House was in session, evoking strong disapproval from the Speaker, who admonished the MLAs for their unruly behaviour.

No sooner than the House assembled at 11 am, Leader of the Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha was on his seat, demanding a reply from the government on an old murder case in which the party has been alleging the involvement of state minister and RJD leader Israil Mansuri.

Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary refused to entertain Sinha and proceeded with the Question Hour, following which all BJP members staged a walkout in protest. Outside the assembly, Sinha launched a vitriolic attack on the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government.

“This is a murderer (‘hatyari’) government. We seek sacking of the minister and his arrest in connection with the murder that had taken place last month in Kanti, the assembly constituency represented by the minister. His name was not included in the FIR and the family of the deceased are also being threatened to withdraw the case,” alleged Sinha.

“The government is not ready to act against its tainted ministers. And the Speaker, too, is acting in a partisan manner and not playing the role of the custodian of the House. We have decided to go back and stage a dharna inside the House,” added the Leader of the Opposition.

Soon, the BJP members were back inside the assembly, but the MLAs did not take their respective seats and sat in the well, causing Chaudhary to exclaim, “You people staged a walkout, came back without being called and now you are enacting this farce”.

The BJP legislators then pulled out one of the chairs meant for the reporting staff, on which they got MLA Bhagirathi Devi seated, who played the role of a self-styled “Speaker”.

Meanwhile, the proceedings of the House continued till the lunch break, though the Speaker cast a glance at the opposition MLAs now and then, expressing disgust over what was going on, and also pointing out that some of them were using mobile phones, which was “against decorum”.