Bihar: All Opposition MLAs to Boycott Monsoon Session After Denial of Discussion on Police Action Against Them

Patna: The members of the Legislative Assembly of Bihar from the Opposition Mahagathbandhan that includes the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress and Left parties have decided to boycott the ongoing Monsoon session in the state from July 28 in protest after Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha denied permission for a special discussion on police action against them inside the House in March this year.

The five days’ long monsoon session of Bihar Assembly began on Monday (July 26). On the first day of the session, some Opposition members came to the Assembly wearing helmets and stated that they were afraid of what had happened (police action) to them during the earlier session.

Soon after the Assembly session started on Tuesday, Tejashwi demanded a special discussion on police action against the beating of opposition MLAs in the House in the earlier session. However, the Speaker denied any such discussion.

Following this, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who is also the leader of Opposition in the Assembly, announced on Tuesday afternoon that entire Opposition members have decided not to attend the remaining sittings of the monsoon session of the state Assembly.

This is probably the first time that the Opposition has announced a boycott of the entire assembly session in the state.

The Opposition members staged protests before lunch and continued to protest even after the lunch break in the Assembly, asserting their demand for a discussion on police action against them and later walked out.

Later talking to media persons, Tejashwi said that he had wanted a discussion on it as this is a serious issue but the state government was not keen on it in order to save the police officials involved.

He further alleged that the Speaker has become a puppet of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, as he denied permission for a discussion. “If there will be discussion on the issue in the Assembly, only then Opposition members will attend. What is the use of the Assembly where the Opposition cannot even raise issues of education, health, jobs and price rise?,” he questioned.

Also read: ‘Black Day’ in Democracy: Opposition MLAs Boycott Bihar Assembly Against Police Bill

During the budget session of the state Assembly on March 23, 2021, anti-riot police personnel and the Rapid Action Force had entered the Bihar Assembly, reportedly misbehaving, abusing, beating and forcefully ejecting Opposition MLAs who were opposing the passage of the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021.

Soon after this incident, Tejashwi had called CM Nitish Kumar “Nirlaj Kumar” (shameless), and had also said that the entire Opposition will boycott the state Assembly for the next five years if action was not taken against the police officials.

“I and all opposition members have decided to boycott the assembly if action is not taken against police officials for beating MLAs and if Nitish Kumar does not tender a public apology for it. I will never forget the abuse, misbehaviour and beating of women MLAs inside the Assembly,” he had added.

Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) MLA Mahboob Alam said it was unprecedented as the anti-riot police force was allowed to enter the Assembly, beat up opposition MLAs and physically lift them out. Two MLAs had fainted and dozens received injuries during police action. Such an incident has never occurred inside the Assembly before.

Earlier last week, two Patna police constables were suspended on the recommendations of the then additional chief secretary and DGP for their rude and rough behaviour with the MLAs on the floor of the House on March 23 this year. After this, Tejashwi said the two police officials were made scapegoats in the case and the government was trying to protect main culprits.