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Bihar Special Armed Police Bill passed: Oppn runs riot, cops walk in to evict members
PATNA Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021, was on Tuesday passed by the state’s Legislative Assembly without any debate amid unprecedented scenes during which police had to be called in to evict protesting members of the Opposition, which termed it as a “black bill”, ransacked tables and surrounded the Speaker’s chair
PATNA
Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021, was on Tuesday passed by the state’s Legislative Assembly without any debate amid unprecedented scenes during which police had to be called in to evict protesting members of the Opposition, which termed it as a “black bill”, ransacked tables and surrounded the Speaker’s chair.
After over half a dozen adjournments, when the House resumed around 7.30 pm, in-charge home minister Bijendra Prasad spoke on the Bill and described the Opposition protests unfounded and the scenes in the House unwarranted. “There is nothing in the Bill that is not there. It is just to reduce dependence of central paramilitary force and create state’s own specialised force, which will also create job opportunities for youth,” he said.
Later, chief minister Nitish Kumar, who also holds the portfolio of home, expressed his displeasure over whatever happened by “an uninformed Opposition bent upon creating misunderstanding about the Bill”.
“Just the name of the Bihar Military Police (BMP) has been changed to Bihar Special Armed Police in keeping with its new role and changing requirements, which has also been done in many states. I would have been happy to hear the Opposition’s point of view and replied to their concerns, but this is not the way, especially the way they tried to disrupt the House and ransack the tables and chairs. They even prevented you (Speaker) from coming here. Still, I thank you for sticking to the day’s business despite such unprecedented scenes,” he said.
“The bomb blast in Mahabodhi Temple premises is known to all. Now BMP is guarding it. More installations will be handed over to the force, but they also need powers to discharge their duty. After arresting anyone, they have to hand over the person to the police station, as is the case with police. A lot of wrong publicity has been done about it. I was a member of the Assembly in 1985 for the first time and I have never seen what happened in the House today, especially the role of new comers. They need training about legislative procedures,” he said.
Earlier, as the standoff continued well past the scheduled time of 5 pm and the government was firm on getting the Bill passed, police and auxiliary police used force to bodily lift many of the members to take them out. Woman police was also called to whisk away protesting woman legislators from near the Speaker’s dais to clear the area.
This angered leader of opposition Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav, who even had an argument with the city SP over forcible removal of the Opposition leaders. He also got on to the dais arguing with police. Later, the police swarmed the well, set the chairs and table, but protests continued by the Opposition. The Speaker’s chair was surrounded at 7.32 pm, not by marshals but by police, a first in the Bihar Assembly.
The Opposition later staged a walkout, while the Bill was passed.
