Monsoon Session: Student protest triggers stormy scenes in Bihar Assembly

The final day of the Monsoon Session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly descended into acrimony on Friday as the recent student agitation triggered a fierce political showdown, with the Opposition accusing the Nitish Kumar government of unleashing excessive force on protesters and the ruling alliance hitting back by condemning alleged attacks on legislators and journalists during the demonstrations.

The emotionally charged debate repeatedly disrupted proceedings, with members from both sides trading accusations, raising slogans and forcing the House into prolonged bouts of disorder before normal business could resume.

The controversy erupted soon after the assembly convened, when senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Alok Mehta sought to raise the issue of the police action against students who had taken to the streets a day earlier.

Claiming that peaceful protesters had faced arrests, the use of force and even firing, Mehta demanded that the government make a detailed statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident and justify the police response.

His remarks immediately drew strong protests from the treasury benches, sparking noisy exchanges across the House.

Undeterred by the interruptions, Mehta accused the ruling alliance of attempting to suppress the voices of students and alleged that those opposing his remarks were standing against the interests of the state's youth.

He argued that students exercising their democratic right to protest were being met with intimidation and police action, not only in Bihar but elsewhere as well, insisting that dialogue — not force — was the appropriate response to their grievances.

The ruling alliance, however, rejected the Opposition's allegations, accusing it of presenting a one-sided and misleading account of the events.

BJP MLA Raju Tiwari urged the Speaker to consider bringing a censure motion over the alleged attacks on MLAs, journalists and others during the protests, arguing that violence against elected representatives and members of the media had no place in a democracy.

According to Tiwari, several legislators and journalists were targeted during the demonstrations, and the Assembly should unequivocally condemn such incidents.

Members of the treasury benches also questioned the nature of the agitation, contending that it should not be viewed merely as a student movement.

They alleged that political groups had used students as a front to advance their own agenda and claimed that anti-social elements had infiltrated the protests, triggering violence and disrupting public order.

Calling for a fair and impartial investigation, the ruling alliance said the entire sequence of events must be examined to establish responsibility.

The Opposition, however, remained steadfast in demanding answers from the government over the alleged police action, maintaining that the confrontation could have been avoided had the administration engaged with students and addressed their concerns through dialogue.

As the exchanges grew increasingly heated, slogan-shouting and repeated interruptions brought assembly proceedings to a standstill for considerable periods, underscoring the political sensitivity surrounding the issue.

With the student agitation continuing to dominate Bihar's political discourse, the debate has now moved decisively from the streets to the legislature, setting the stage for an even sharper confrontation between the government and the Opposition in the days ahead.

With IANS inputs