Uproar in Bihar Assembly over allegations against Minister

Opposition leaders including Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Tejashwi Yadav demanded the resignation of Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Ram Surat Rai. The Opposition also questioned Speaker's intention behind favouring the ruling party leaders and not paying heed to it.

Patna: The Bihar Assembly on Saturday witnessed uproarious scenes over the allegation against Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Ram Surat Rai for framing charges against the Principal of a school in Muzaffarpur district for his involvement in the illicit liquor trade.

Opposition leaders including Tejashwi Yadav demanded the resignation of Rai.

They have also questioned the Speaker's intention behind favouring the ruling party leaders and not listening to the Opposition.

After the allegation, RJD MLA Rekha Devi requested the Speaker for an adjournment motion to submit the evidence to support Rai's claims.

When Tejashwi pointed out the allegation against Rai, Deputy Chief Minister Tar Kishore Prasad objected, saying that the member who brings an adjournment motion has the right to point out things first and not the other members.

Tejashwi requested for two minutes to put the evidence in the perspective of the House so that it comes on record but speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha did not allow him.

It led to a heated argument between Tar Kishore Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav in the House.

On the direction of Tejashwi, all the RJD members entered the Well of the House and shouted slogans against the NDA government and Speaker Vijay Sinha.

Tejashwi and the RJD MLAs walked out of the Assembly and sat on a dharna outside the Chamber of the Speaker inside the Vidhan Sabha.

After spending half-an-hour outside the Speaker's chamber, they marched towards Raj Bhavan to register their protest before Governor Phagu Chauhan.

"The Nitish Kumar government is saving the Minister and the Speaker is not giving us a chance to present proofs in the House. Hence, we are marching towards Raj Bhavan to register our protest before the Governor and will request him to intervene in the matter," Tejashwi said.

Ram Surat Rai, the BJP MLA from Aurai in Muzaffarpur and Land Reforms and Revenue Minister in the Nitish Kumar government, is facing the charge of the illegal liquor trade.

Nikhil Anand, the chief spokesperson of the BJP Bihar unit said, "Tejashwi Yadav's allegations against Cabinet Minister Rai amounts to a defamation case."

(With inputs from IANS)