Patna: The monsoon session of the Bihar Assembly commenced on Monday with immediate uproar from the opposition benches, who raised slogans over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. CPI(ML) legislators arrived dressed in black to symbolise dissent, while AIMIM MLAs stormed the well of the House. Congress and other opposition members displayed banners and posters, forcing repeated appeals for order from the Speaker.
The first supplementary budget for the financial year—amounting to Rs 57,946 crore—was tabled by the government. After customary tributes were paid to recently deceased leaders, the House was adjourned until Tuesday.
The protests began even before the proceedings formally opened, with opposition MLAs staging a demonstration in the assembly premises. Congress MLA Shakeel Ahmed criticised the prevailing conditions in Bihar, citing migration and unemployment as pressing concerns, and questioned the rationale of continuing legislative business in such a scenario.
“We had demanded answers from the government on law and order and the SIR issue during the all-party meeting, but were denied,” said state Congress president Rajesh Ram. “We will not allow the House to run under such circumstances and are prepared to stop ruling party members from entering, if needed.”
The Congress also demanded the resignation of Minister Jivesh Mishra in connection with the alleged fake medicine scandal.
This session is the last before the upcoming assembly elections and will run until July 25.
Notably absent on the first day was RJD MLA Tej Pratap Yadav, who was recently expelled from the party by his father, Lalu Prasad, for six years. No formal communication has yet been made to the Speaker regarding his expulsion. Despite this, Tej Pratap has indicated his intention to contest the upcoming elections, either from Mahua or Hasanpur, his current constituency.
According to the schedule released by the Legislative Assembly Secretariat, government bills will be presented on July 22 and 23, while the supplementary budget will be debated and voted upon on July 24. The Appropriation Bill will follow, and the session will conclude on July 25 with a discussion on non-government resolutions.
