The Jharkhand Assembly was the centre of high voltage political drama on Thursday on the last day of Monsoon session, with legislators’ adopting different tactics to draw attention. While a legislator reached the house driving an auto rickshaw, some came out of the House crying after the Speaker refused to entertain his demand.
State Health Minister Banna Gupta on Thursday chose a novel way to mark his protest against the ‘auto-rickshaw agent’ remark by senior BJP leader and former Assembly Speaker CP Singh on the floor of the house on September 7.
Gupta reached the house driving the auto rickshaw, saying that he adopted the way of protest after Assembly speaker Rabindranath Mahto turned down his request for a direction to Singh to seek an apology from him in the House for the remark saying that the chapter has already been closed.
As the Health Minister entered on an auto-rickshaw to mark his protest against BJP legislators, BJP legislators were agitating at the entrance of the assembly to protest against yesterday’s lathi charge on their party leaders and workers marching peacefully towards the Assembly.
On Tuesday, while the treasury benches were having discussion on the Supplementary budget, the BJP lawmakers including CP Singh were protesting. When the BJP lawmakers’ protest intensified, Health minister Banna Gupta, tried to intervene in Singh, to which the Ranchi MLA said that he is not much interested to talk to auto rickshaw agents referring to Gupta. The ruling party lawmakers including ministers reached the Well of the House protesting Singh’s remark. The ruling party legislators demanded action against Singh for his remark. The matter was settled after the Speaker intervened. The Speaker asked CP Singh to withdraw his remark.
In other development, BJP MLA and former minister Amar Bauri came out from Chandankiyari in tears. Bauri in tears alleged that the Speaker didn’t allow raising his concern as he came from Dalit community. Bauri had moved adjournment motion against the police lathicharge on BJP cadres and leaders, which the speaker rejected.
Bauri said, “I am upset as the Speaker rejected the demand of a lawmaker who comes from Dalit community. I will fight for my right in the name of Ambedkarjee.”
At the same time, BJP MLA from Ranchi CP Singh said that when he was Speaker of the Assembly, he used to give opportunity to the opposition to speak as much as possible, but in the government of the Grand Alliance, Dalit MLA were not allowed to speak.
Though the five day of the Monsoon Session went with noisy scenes with BJP lawmakers raising the issue of allotment of room for Namaz, several lawmakers raised the issue from the constituency. Congress MLA from Mahagama Deepika Pandey Singh raised the issue of anomalies in distribution of ration under green ration card holders, completion of electrification work under JSBAY PHASE-II scheme in Mahagama Assembly area under Godda district. The work of August (JSBAY) PHASE-II was to be completed by October-2020 by 2020.