SIR: Oppn MLAs in black reach Bihar assembly, adjourned till afternoon

Opposition MLAs in Bihar on Tuesday, 22 July, reached the assembly wearing black dresses to protest against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state and created ruckus in the House over the issue, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings till 2 pm.

They demanded a discussion over the ongoing SIR.

Within less than half an hour of commencement at 11 a.m., Speaker Nand Kishor Yadav adjourned the proceedings over the chaos, as many opposition MLAs stood inside the well and came in the way of conducting Question Hour.

Notably, on the inaugural day of the monsoon session of the assembly on Monday, 21 July, leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav had met the Speaker to convey that a discussion on SIR, which is being opposed by the INDIA bloc, was desired and "no reluctance" would be brooked.

On Tuesday, legislators of the RJD, Congress and the Left made their intention clear when, before the commencement of proceedings, they staged a demonstration in front of the main entrance to the assembly, dressed in black and raising slogans against SIR.

The Speaker looked bewildered as he entered the House. "You all are such fine people. Why have you come wearing black clothes? It does not look good," he told the opposition legislators.

As the opposition members started raising slogans against the SIR, with many of them storming the well waving placards, the Speaker tried to humour them with the remark "Please do not behave in this fashion. Everything is being telecast live. And you all have to face elections soon. Do not strain your vocal chords. You must protect your voice for the campaign."

However, the opposition members did not relent, and some of them also raised slogans against the Nitish Kumar government in the state.

The Bihar chief minister, who was present inside the House, rose for a moment in his seat and said "tohre hai hai" — roughly translated,"I return to you people your denunciation of me".

The Speaker was also seen engaged in a heated exchange with senior RJD leader Alok Mehta, who was seen requesting the Chair that he be allowed to make a statement on the floor of the House.

The Speaker was heard saying, "I am ready to give you the permission. But you must first ask your colleagues to return to their respective seats."

With no let-up in the situation, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till lunch.