67 legislators suspended after Bihar assembly bedlam (Night Lead)
July 22nd, 2010 - 12:29 am ICT by IANSPatna, July 21 (IANS) A legislator hurled a slipper at the speaker and a woman legislator broke flowerpots in the Bihar assembly complex Wednesday as opposition members vociferously demanded Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s resignation for alleged financial irregularities. At least 67 members were suspended after day two of the bedlam in the house.
Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary suspended the 67, mostly from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Left, as the house was stalled with the opposition asking the chief minister to resign over alleged financial irregularities of over Rs.11,000 crore.
The suspended legislators, forcibly removed by the marshals from the assembly, said Nitish Kumar was neckdeep in corruption and had swindled crores of rupees from the treasury.
The suspension will remain effective during the ongoing monsoon session till July 24.
Nitish Kumar is among 47 people named in a complaint alleging misuse of Rs.11,412 crore. Petitioner Arvind Kumar pointed to the irregularities in the use of development funds during 2002-08 in Bihar.
The Patna High Court has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter, a decision the government has appealed against.
The assembly met at 11 a.m. after being adjourned Tuesday afternoon following clashes between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition.
The opposition members trooped towards the speaker, shouted slogans against their suspension and demanded that Nitish Kumar quit.
The NDA said that an opposition member threw a sandal at the speaker to protest against the suspensions. Protests continued outside the house too.
On Tuesday, 14 opposition members of the Bihar Legislative Council were suspended for their unruly behaviour in the house.
RJD and LJP workers Wednesday morning burnt an effigy of Nitish Kumar near the main gate of the assembly. Seventy-six legislators continued their overnight sit-in inside the assembly while another three protested outside the main gate.
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- 67 legislators suspended in Bihar (Second Lead) - Jul 21, 2010
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- Nitish Kumar must go: Bihar opposition (Lead) - Jul 22, 2010
- Aggressive opposition to continue protest against Nitish Kumar - Jul 22, 2010
- 11 LJP legislators resign from Bihar assembly - Jul 22, 2010
- Congress demands dismissal of Nitish Kumar government - Jul 23, 2010
- 17 opposition legislators suspended in Bihar - Jul 21, 2010
- Gates of Bihar assembly shut after lawmakers clash - Jul 20, 2010
- Court to hear plea against CBI probe in Bihar irregularities - Jul 22, 2010
- Lalu, Paswan criticize Nitish Kumar for 'murderous attack' on Opposition - Jul 23, 2010
- Four legislators hurt in Bihar assembly clashes - Jul 20, 2010
- Bihar Assembly chaos : Congress woman flings flower pots - Jul 21, 2010
- BJP criticises opposition for ruckus in Bihar assembly - Jul 20, 2010
- Congress, BJP trade charges over chaos in Bihar assembly (Lead) - Jul 20, 2010
Tags: arvind kumar, cbi probe, central bureau of investigation, chief minister, effigy, financial irregularities, house speaker, legislative council, legislator, ljp, marshals, monsoon session, narain, national democratic alliance, opposition member, opposition members, patna high court, rupees, seventy six, unruly behaviour