The week-long monsoon session of the Bihar legislature on Friday got off to a stormy start with opposition MLAs protesting against the June 3 police firing at Forbesganj in Araria district that left four persons dead and scores of others injured.
Just before the house met for the day, RJD, Congress and LJP MLAs holding placards held demonstration in the portico of the assembly.
They shouted anti-government slogans and slammed the Nitish Kumar government for its alleged failure to prevent the police firing on innocent people in Forbesganj.
After the protests, the opposition MLAs walked into the House with the placards against the police firing and alleged deterioration in law and order in Bihar.
As soon as Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary concluded his customary address, the assembly secretary informed the House that Rajbhavan had returned three bills -- Bihar State School Teacher and Employees Dispute Redressal Bill, Bihar State University Commission Bill and Bihar State Administrative Tribunal Bill, but approved the rest 12 bills passed by the House during the budget session.
State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav and senior BJP MLA Amrendra Pratap Singh soon on their feet and urged the Speaker to hold a debate on the role of Governor, money bill and finance bill in the house.
Opposition leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui, however, objected to it and said that the ruling party members should have refrained from raising the issue without the approval of the advisory committee of the House.
“It is against parliamentary tradition.... Whatever subjects which are to be debated in the House must have prior approval of the advisory committee,” he said.
Peace returned when Choudhary intervened and said he would look into the matter.
Deputy Chief Minister S.K. Modi, who also holds finance portfolio, presented the first supplementary demands for 2011-12.
Mr. Choudhary administered oath to the newly-elected BJP MLA Kiran Keshari from Purnia.
The house observed a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to former Union Minister Chaturanan Mishra, JD(U) MLA Jagmato Devi and others who died during the inter-session period and also offered condolences to the kin of those who were killed in Howrah-Kalka Mail disaster in Fatehpur.
The house also condemned the Mumbai blasts. The Assembly was later adjourned till July 19.
