Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, March 23
After spectacular “drama” by the opposition members that seized the Bihar legislative Assembly Speaker inside his chamber, disorder unleashed inside the House and finally, the “unruly” members were dragged out of the building.
For the first time in the history of Bihar Assembly, Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were called inside the “House” to evict the opposition MLAs who were protesting against the passage of the controversial Bihar Special Armed Police Bill.
Both women and their male counterparts from RAF were summoned inside the House by the district magistrate as opposition members were agitating against the Bill and House had to be adjourned for six times. They had earlier gheraoed the chamber of the Speaker, Vijay Kumar Sinha.
Also, for the first time, the district magistrate and Senior SP of Patna were summoned to evict the opposition legislators. Never before an additional SP had entered the Chamber to regulate law and order inside the House, which is generally done by the Marshals.
Opposition MLAs were dragged out of the Assembly building with force by the police men and women and literally thrown on the grounds opposite the portico of the assembly building. Three MLAs were injured in police action.
Satish Kumar, RJD MLA from Makhdumpur in Jahanabad district, was rushed to hospital in an ambulance. Sudhakar Singh, RJD MLA from Kaimur was seen being thrashed by the police and one of them hitting him repeatedly with his boots.
Mahboob Alam, CPI(MLA) who was also protesting against the Bill, alleged he was beaten up by the uniformed police inside the House. He too was pushed out of the assembly building by policemen.
Anita Devi, a former minister and RJD MLA from Lokaha, who was seen being dragged out of the building by women police men alleged she too was beaten inside the House by the police. The leader of opposition, Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav too faced police action and had a heated argument with an additional SP who was deputed inside the House.
As the House reassembled after six sittings, the opposition members stormed into the well of the House and were forcibly moved out by the RAF on their shoulders and thrown on the ground.
In the day long high drama, many opposition legislators became victims of police action as they were dragged out of the House. Vehicles of legislators too were not allowed entry into the legislature complex today.
Earlier, the RJD sponsored protest march from Gandhi Maidan to assembly also turned violent as it reached Dak Bungalow square.Police resorted to lathi charge and water cannons to disperse them. In the use of force by police, Ritu Jaiswal, a woman RJD leader from Sitamarhi was injured. As stone throwing continued, security forces provided helmets to Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and his brother Tejparatap, who were leading the march.
In the absence of the entire opposition, Bihar assembly on Tuesday evening passed the controversial Bihar Special Armed Police Bill.
Vijay Kumar Sinha, speaker who was in the chair announced Bill has been passed by majority voice vote. He also announced the opposition MLAs who participated in the day-long disturbances inside the House would face penal action.
Earlier, former minister and senior RJD MLA Chandrashekhar Singh and building construction minister, Ashok Kumar Chaudhury came to blows inside the House. In the morning, the opposition members had snatched a copy of the Bill from Prem Kumar, who was in the chair and when Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha occupied the chair, copies of Bill were thrown on the Chair.
RAF jawans guarded the chair of the Speaker when Bill was being passed.
