The second day of the ongoing budget session witnessed noisy scenes with Opposition parties staging a protest over the State Government decision to withdraw the recruitment policy of 2016. Due to the Opposition's protest the question hour of the second day of the budget session was washed out.
BJP MLA from Chandankyari Amar Kumar Bauri raising the issue moved a work adjournment motion demanding a discussion on issues concerning the State. Bauri charging the State government of political vendetta said that the recruitment policy devised by the previous BJP government had reserved class III and IV jobs for locals for 10 years, but the State government withdrew the recruitment policy. The ruling party legislators opposed the demand made by Opposition member Bauri, leading to the BJP lawmakers reaching the well of the House. The BJP members raised slogans, forcing Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto to adjourn the House till 12.30pm. The first time the House was adjourned from 11.28 am to 12.30 pm. When the House resumed at 12.30 pm, the BJP MLAs once again reached the well of the House with the Speaker adjourning the House till 2 pm.
BJP MLA from Raj Mahal Anant Ojha raised the issue of doing away with Chief Minister Question Hour in the House. He said in the last 20 years, the Chief Minister question hour was taking place in the Assembly but it appears that the Leader of the House is running away from answering questions.
Before the start of the day's proceedings at 11am, MLAs of the ruling Congress and RJD staged protests against the BJP-led government at the Centre, accusing it of looting people by successive hikes in fuel and LPG prices. Several MLAs stood with empty cylinders, held banners and posters to denounce the Narendra Modi government for putting crores of people under financial stress.
Congress MLA from Mahagama Dipika Pandey Singh said, “We have been fighting against the steep rise in fuel prices for several weeks through protests, demonstrations and by raising our voices in State Assemblies and Parliament. At a time when Covid-19 has led to financial distress, such hikes only compound people's woes. How can the government be so insensitive?” Sources said that the ongoing budget session of Jharkhand Assembly is going to witness unruly scenes as the Opposition BJP has planned a strategy to corner the State government on several issues such as poor law and order, rise in extremist activities, government failure to create employment and provide 5 lakh jobs to people within one year.
The Budget session of the Jharkhand Assembly which started on February 26 will run till March 23. The government will table the State budget on March 3, and the session will have 16 working days.