Winter Session of Bihar Assembly: CPI (ML) Members Raise Israel-Palestine Crisis; Caste Survey to Be Tabled on Tuesday

Patna: The winter session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly kicked off on Monday with a succinct but eventful opening session that lasted a mere 20 minutes. The inaugural day was marked by the presentation of significant bills and a demand for condolence messages in memory of those affected by the Israeli attack on Gaza. In addition to the second supplementary budget of 2023-24, the House witnessed the introduction of the GST Amendment Ordinance-2023, Bihar Appropriation (No. 3) Bill-2023, and Bihar Secretariat Service (Amendment) Bill 2023.

Following the customary condolence motion, the Speaker of the Assembly adjourned the proceedings until 11 am on Tuesday. In parallel, the proceedings of the Bihar Legislative Council were also adjourned, with resumption scheduled for 12 noon on Tuesday.

Upcoming Presentation of Caste Survey Report

On the session’s second day, the government is set to present the economic report derived from the caste survey. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Chaudhary clarified that only half of the caste survey report has been unveiled so far, with the complete report slated for presentation on Tuesday. This decision was reached during a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the Assembly, and the report will subsequently undergo scrutiny in both houses of the legislature.

Israel Attack on Gaza Raises Heated Debate

The Israeli attack on Palestine took center stage during the inaugural session, as members of the CPI (ML) sought to honor the Palestinians who lost their lives in the recent conflict through a request for condolence messages. This gesture was met with resistance from BJP MLAs, leading to a temporary disruption of the proceedings. The Speaker of the Assembly had to intervene to restore order in the House.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, following the Assembly’s adjournment, engaged in a five-minute conversation with CPI (ML) Legislative Party leader Mehboob Alam. This discussion also involved the presence of Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Congress leader Ajit Kumar.

The left parties MLAs staged a demonstration in solidarity with Palestine outside the Assembly. Brandishing placards calling for an end to the Israeli attack, the CPI(ML) members expressed their support for Palestinian independence and condemned the harm inflicted on women, children, and hospitals in Gaza. In a critique of the Modi government’s foreign policy, Left Party MLA asserted that India’s stance has been unduly influenced by the United States.