Jharkhand assembly witnesses disruptions over audio CD

The Jharkhand assembly proceedings were on Monday disrupted over the opposition demand for a probe into an audio recording and the sacking of a senior police officer who allegedly figured in it.

Former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) President Babulal Marandi had come out with a compact disc on the Chief Minister's alleged meeting with Congress leader Yogendra Sao, who is the husband of Congress MLA Nirmala Devi, on June 10, a day before the Rajya Sabha polls.

The CD allegedly showed Additional Director General of Police Anurag Gupta speaking to Sao and also contained a conversation between the Chief Minister's political adviser Ajay Kumar and Sao.

Opposition Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) members shouted slogans at the assembly gate before the house assembled.

They demanded the dismissal of Additional Director General of Police Anurag Gupta and a probe into the sting video pertaining to elections to two Rajya Sabha seats in the state.

When the assembly session began at 11 a.m., Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren raised the issue.

The opposition leader claimed that democracy had been murdered in Jharkhand and the state bureaucracy had become dictatorial.

"The state is playing against the sentiments of the people. Imagine the fate of the common people when an FIR is not lodged on the complaint of the Leader of Opposition. Caste-based remarks are being made against me," said Soren.

Another JMM MLA Stephen Marandi said: "Tribals are humiliated in the state. The CD issue should be probed. How we can raise public issues when we ourselves are embroiled in trouble?"

The JMM members trooped into the well of the house, forcing assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon to adjourn the house till 12.10 p.m.

When the house reassembled, the JMM members again came into the well of the house to demand the senior police officer's dismissal from service and a probe into the matter.

State Parliamentary Affairs Ministers Saryu Rai tabled the supplementary budget of Rs 4,382.49 crore amid the uproar. The house was later adjourned till Tuesday.

--IANS

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