Oppn seeks action on manhandling of MLAs
On March 23, Oppn members protesting against Bihar Special Armed police bill were allegedly roughed up by cops
PATNA: Ahead of the monsoon session of the state legislature beginning July 26, Bihar assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha held an all-party meeting on Friday during which Opposition members demanded strict action against police and other officials allegedly involved in manhandling Opposition legislators on March 23 at the assembly premises, according to one of the leaders who attended the meeting.
On March 23, Opposition members protesting against Bihar Special Armed police bill were allegedly manhandled by police.
The monsoon session will begin from July 26 and end on July 30.
Earlier this week, the government had suspended two police officials allegedly involved in manhandling the legislators on March 23. The move came days after leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav wrote to the Speaker seeking a reply as to who all were responsible for ordering such violent measures against the Opposition members and seeking strict action against the erring officials.
Yadav, who did not participate in today’s meeting as he is in New Delhi, also wrote in his letter to the Speaker that Opposition members were scared to attend the monsoon session given the violence against them in the budget session.
RJD was represented by Lalit Kumar Yadav at the meeting on Friday.
“We told the Speaker that mere suspension of two police officials was not enough. The policemen involved in manhandling legislators should be arrested and dismissed from service. Action should be also taken against those who ordered such violent measures when women MLAs were dragged outside the assembly and manhandled,” said Congress legislature party leader Ajeet Sharma, who attended the meeting.
Sharma, however, said it was not right for members to climb on the podium, referring to the unruly scenes in the House on March 23.
Speaker Sinha urged the members to show discipline in the House during the forthcoming session.
Parliamentary affairs minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav assured the members that government would give replies on public issues raised by members.
Among others present at the meeting were deputy chief ministers Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi, both from BJP, Mehboob Alam of CPI-ML(Liberation) and Ramratan Singh of CPI.