No Withdrawal of Censure Motion; NDA to Opposition
Patna: Mar. 13, 2007
 For the second time in as many days, opposition leaders in Bihar boycotted the Assembly session demanding withdrawal of the censure motion that was passed in the House on Monday following display of outrageous behavior by the members of the opposition led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Rabri Devi.
The former Chief Minister of Bihar, demanding withdrawal of the censure motion against the opposition, said sessions in the Assembly would be boycotted until the NDA issues an apology.
State Legislative chairperson Uday Narayan Chowdhary tried to persuade the opposition leaders to resume the session but to no avail.
“Democracy has been killed by the NDA government that is trying to muzzle the voice of the opposition. Today they have passed censure motion against us, tomorrow they will order lathi charge on us when we take it to the streets of Patna,” Rabri Devi, the leader of the opposition said.
 “By passing censure motion against the opposition leaders, the NDA has lowered the dignity of the institution,” RJD leader Jagadanand Singh said.
When asked to explain the opposition’s outrageous behavior in the Assembly on Monday that led to the censure motion, Rabri Devi said this had been the tradition of the opposition and there was nothing outrageous about the way it acted.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Communist Party of India leaders also took exceptions to the censure motion saying they were not even a part of the yesterday’s outburst yet they became mixed up in the condemnation.
Meanwhile, the NDA refused to back out saying until the leader of the opposition Rabri Devi tendered her unconditional apology for her despicable behavior in the Assembly, there was no question of withdrawing the censure motion.
 “The opposition destroyed furniture, yanked out microphones, and called names to the Speaker of the House as well as other leaders only to protect a family of criminals. Opposition does not mean it has the power to throw away all senses of decorum and dignity of the,” Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said.
Until the leader of the opposition tenders her apologies, the censure motions against her and her party leaders will stand, he said clarifying the motion was not against the LJP, Congress, CPI, or CPM leaders but only against the RJD legislators who have taken the art of opposing to a new low.
“Everyone knows that the six men against whom Kunti Devi had filed a case for blowing up her house in Gaya are also key witnesses in criminal cases against her husband who is absconding. The zonal IG is investigating the case and based on his results only any action would be taken against them,” the Chief Minister said.
Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said it was ironical that the RJD leaders were committing one blunder after another and yet they had the nerve to demand apologies from the ruling parties.
“By using expletives against the Speaker, the RJD has insulted the entire democratic setup and the censure motion against them would not be withdrawn unless they submit their apologies,” Modi said.
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