RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav threatens to boycott Assembly session over Special Armed Police Bill

The Bihar assembly was thrown into disarray on Tuesday after the opposition created a ruckus over the Special Armed Police Bill which seeks to give more teeth to the state police.

A day after the ruckus in the Bihar Legislative Assembly over Special Armed Police Bill, 2021, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday threatened to boycott the remaining tenure of the session if the Nitish Kumar-led state government fails to apologise for the incident. "Nitish Kumar Ji should know that governments change. MLAs were abused and beaten inside the Assembly yesterday," news agency ANI quoted Yadav as saying. "'Nirlaj (shamless) Kumar Ji' has lost all shame," he also said, according to ANI.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav along with the grand alliance legislators hold placards as they stage a protest outside State Assembly House during the budget session, in Patna on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

The Bihar assembly was thrown into disarray on Tuesday after the opposition created a ruckus over the Special Armed Police Bill which seeks to give more teeth to the state police. The assembly saw multiple adjournments as opposition RJD leaders raised slogans demanding the state government to withdraw the bill. The opposition later staged a walkout, while the bill was passed.

Following the uproar, some opposition leader also surrounded the the speaker's chamber and prevented Vijay Kumar Sinha from leaving. As the chaos unfolded, marshals were called to take control of the situation and prevent the agitated legislators from getting physical with those in the treasury benches. A heavy contingent of police personnel wearing riot gear also reached the premises and evicted lawmakers.

RJD MLA Satish Kumar was also carried on a stretcher from the assembly; the leader claimed he was "manhandled by police and local goons" inside the premises during the protest.

Earlier in the day, the Opposition parties issued a joint statement in which they condemned the attack on MLAs during the assembly chaos. "This is an unconstitutional bill that effectively transforms the police force into an armed militia to harass, suppress and crackdown on academics, activists, journalists. the political opposition and all those who dare to speak truth to power," the parties said in the statement.

The parties, which condemned Tuesday evening's incident, included Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Trinamool Congress, and Shiv Sena.