Bihar: Cong raises Rahul issue, JD-U joins protest; BJP agitates over power tariff hike

As soon as the proceedings of the Assembly got underway, BJP and the Congress legislators reached the well shouting slogans.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as a member of Parliament raised heat both inside as well as outside the Bihar Legislative Assembly on Monday.

Leader of Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha with BJP legislators protest outside the Bihar Assembly on Monday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

Outside, Congress leaders marched with posters and banners and were joined by allies RJD, JD (U) and Left parties. The JD (U), which had stayed away from protests on the issue so far, too joined the march.

As soon as the proceedings of the Assembly got underway, BJP and the Congress legislators reached the well shouting slogans.

While BJP raised the issue of recent proposal of power tariff hike by 24% by the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) and wanted discussion on the matter, Congress members raised the issue of disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha and described it as the “murder of democracy”.

Leader of Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha stood up as soon as the day’s proceedings began, saying the power tariff hike was connected to the common man and BJP had also moved an adjournment motion on it. “People are angry and they may start agitation. The government must withdraw it,” he said.

However, before Sinha could finish, Congress Legislature Party leader Ajeet Sharma raised the issue of Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification and wanted discussion on that first. Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary asked Sharma to raise the matter during the zero hour, but the slogan shouting Congress legislators trooped into the well with banners and posters. Many of the Congress legislators wore black kurta or shirt as a mark of protest.

Soon, BJP legislators also reached there, shouting slogans and carrying their posters and banners. The Speaker asked the marshals to remove the posters. Some RJD and CPI-ML workers also entered the well in support of the Congress demand. Later, with slogan shouting in the well continuing and nothing audible during the question hour, the BJP staged a walkout.