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On 2nd day of monsoon session, Agnipath protests lead to adjournment of Bihar Assembly
Bihar assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha informed that the discussion on Agnipath will not be allowed as the matter did not relate to the assembly
Protests against Agnipath, the Centre’s new defence recruitment scheme continued both inside and outside the Bihar Legislative Assembly on Monday, with Opposition members from the RJD, CPI-ML and the Congress trooping into the well demanding acceptance of their adjournment motion and a subsequent discussion on the issue.
Bihar assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha said that the discussion will not be allowed as the matter did not relate to the assembly. He repeatedly asked the members to get back to their seats and allow the question hour to continue, but the Opposition remained unmoved and kept shouting slogans demanding the rollback of Agnipath.
As soon as the members were seated in the assembly, RJD’s chief whip Lalit Yadav said that he wanted to move an adjournment motion. Congress’ Ajeet Sharma and CPI-ML’s Satyadev Ram followed saying it was a matter related to national security and there must be discussion over it.
The Speaker referred to the decisions taken at the business advisory committee meeting earlier in the day and said that the members must try to act as per norms to allow the House to function and take up matters of public importance. “For the members, a decision has been taken to ensure a chamber for them at the block and district level offices so that they can take up matters related to the public,” he said, seeking the approval of the assembly.
The members responded in support, but remained firm on their stand on the Agnipath scheme and started shouting slogans, leading to adjournment of the House in the first session without any business done. Deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad and Parliamentary Affairs minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary also intervened in an attempt to calm the members. Though there were 93 starred questions and 10 short notice questions listed for the day, none could be taken up.
On the first day of the monsoon session on Friday, Satyadev Ram, backed by other opposition leaders, had sought a unanimous proposal from the House for the rollback of Agnipath to be sent to the Centre. The same tenor was evident on Monday as well, as Opposition members stood with placards protesting against the Agnipath scheme outside the Assembly.
