Bihar opposition demands resignation of chief minister

Patna: Angry opposition members of the state legislature of Bihar took out a protest march to Raj Bhawan, staged sit-ins across the state and 12 of them also tendered their resignations seeking dismissal of the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The protests came a day after the Bihar state assembly ruled that the no constitutional body or agency, including the court, could interfere into the functioning of the House.

Meanwhile, the Patna High Court yesterday began hearing the revision petition of the state government wherein it urged the court to reconsider its July 15 order for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe pleading that the CAG report on the issue is under consideration before the Public Accounts Committee of the state assembly.

The court in its order has asked the CBI to probe the alleged large-scale financial irregularities in which the chief minister, his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi and 45 others have been made accused. The hearing however remained inconclusive and is likely to continue for the next few days.

In its ruling, the assembly speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary said no constitutional body or any other agency could interfere with the matter pending with the state assembly and if they did, it would tantamount to contempt of the House. He cited various sections of the constitution to prove his point, virtually setting the legislative on the confrontation course with the judiciary.

Angry opposition members took a march on foot shouting slogans against the government and demanding dismissal of the state government. They said the chief minister does not hold the moral authority to continue in office when the court has ordered an inquiry against him.

"Their continuation in office could hamper the probe, a senior Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) leader Pashupatai Kumar Parasa said.

All the 12 LJP lawmakers also tendered their resignations to the state party chief Paras protesting against their suspension from the state assembly by the speaker and shabby treatment by the government. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) members, on the other hand, took out a protest rally in Patna and also burnt effigy of the chief minister seeking his resignation. After burning the effigy, they were trying to hold demonstrations before the state assembly when they were prevented by the security forces but they remained hellbent on going there. As the situation went out of control, the police resorted to caning, lobbed tear gas shells and also used water cannons to calm down the demonstrators, leaving about a dozen RJD leaders injured.

On the other hand, the Congress leaders staged a sit in protest in Patna and at all district headquarters, stepping up further pressures on the chief minister.

Bihar assembly elections are just few months away and apparently this is the reason why all political parties are busy trying to make corruption charges against the chief minister a major issue.

New panel for Bihar poll

The Congress yesterday formed a screening committee to recommend candidates for the approval of the party's central election committee (CEC) for the Bihar assembly elections later this year.

According to a Congress press release, the committee will be headed by party general secretary B.K. Hariprasad. The screening committee includes Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik, Rural Development Minister C.P. Joshi, Bihar Congress chief Mehboob Ali Kaiser and Congress legislative party leader Ashok Kumar Ram.

Party sources said the screening committee will look at the list of candidates sent by the state unit and give its recommendations to the CEC, which will make the final choice of candidates. Assembly elections in Bihar are due October-November.