Opposition parties disrupt Jharkhand Assembly proceedings

Opposition parties on Friday disrupted the proceedings in the Jharkhand Assembly as the House was running beyond the stipulated lunch time of 12.30 p.m.

The Assembly breaks for lunch on Fridays at 12.30 p.m instead of the normal timing of 1 p.m. for Muslim legislators to go for their Friday Namaz.

Speaker Dinesh Oraon sought permission to run the House till the call attention was completed.

"The time of the House should be extended till the call attention is completed. The legislators who have to offer Namaz can go," said the Speaker.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party members agreed to Oraon's decision while the opposition Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Stephen Marandi objected, saying the government was trying to change the rules.

The Speaker tried to pacify Marandi by saying that this was not an issue of the state government.

The JMM, Congress and Left party members then staged a walk-out.

Despite the disruption, the House continued till call attention was completed.

--IANS

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