Assembly Circus Opens amidst Protests
Patna: Dec. 7, 2007
|
Assembly Circus Opens amidst Protests
|
|
Photo by Shashi Uttam |
|
|
As anticipated, the winter session of the Bihar Assembly opened on Friday amidst protests, controversies, and hot exchange of words that have effectively reduced the Assembly proceedings in the past to a bitterly partisan, grandstanding event with little to do with the representation of those who voted for them in the first place.
The trouble began when the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders, led by the leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, expressed their anger over the new security arrangement in which only one of the many entrances were allowed to be used for legislators to enter the Assembly premises.
"What used to take seconds to reach the Assembly building is now taking 20 minutes," complained the former CM who threatened to hold a dharna at the main gate if other gates were not opened to allow legislators to use entrances of their choice.
"We want to know what this government is afraid of that it has turned this whole place into such a secure place," Congress leader Mahachandra Prasad demanded to know.
Once inside the Assembly, the opposition leaders, without missing a beat from the last session, shouted anti-government slogans accusing the NDA of being anti-people and for failing to control crime in the state.
During all the chaos and disorder, the legislators reluctantly forced themselves to keep their mouths shut for a two-minute of silence as a mark of respect for leaders recently passed away.
The bedlam, however, ensued after the two minute forced silence as the RJD, Congress, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), and the Communist Party of India (various flavors) went straight back to screaming and slogan-shouting forcing the chairperson to adjourn the session until Monday.
RJD leader Shyam Rajak said the government was afraid to face the opposition, hence the short session of the Assembly.
"We are prepared to raise questions on BPL list, attack on peaceful Asha protestors, and the collapse of law and order in the state. The Nitish government does not want to talk about these burning issues of our time and that is why it has summoned a brief Assembly session," Rajak said.
|
