Patna:RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday alleged that the honour of elected representatives in Bihar was under attack from a high-handed bureaucracy that has been given a "free run" by the Nitish Kumar government. He made remarks to the effect while talking to reporters outside the assembly premises on the inaugural day of the monsoon session, soon after chairing a meeting of all legislators of the five-party Grand Alliance helmed by the RJD.
“It is shameful that on a date remembered for the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, honourable members of the House were hit by boots of police personnel who also physically dragged female legislators," the leader of the opposition said. Yadav was referring to the infamous incident of March 23 when opposition MLAs had held Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha hostage inside his chamber in protest against a bill that aimed to give more teeth to the Special Armed Police though it was seen as "draconian" by the Grand Alliance.
As marshals seemed overwhelmed by the enormity of restoring order, police was called and the unruly legislators were physically evicted before proceedings resumed and the bill was passed with the opposition in absentia. Yadav, who was flanked by other leaders of the Grand Alliance which also includes the Congress, the CPI, the CPI(M) and the CPI(ML), lamented that a motion he moved earlier in the day with regard to the incident that took place during the budget session was turned down. "It has come on record. The Speaker said that today the business shall be limited to obituary references. Things have come to such a pass that a motion moved by the leader of the opposition is not even considered for debate," he said wryly.