Bihar minister boycotts assembly after his car stopped at gate

Bihar minister Jivesh Kumar on Thursday said he has decided not to participate in the proceedings of the assembly until the state government suspends Patna DM Chandrasekhar Singh and SSP Upendra Sharma.

Jivesh Kumar, Minister of Labour in the Nitish Kumar government, walked out from the Vidhan Sabha after sharing his ordeal with Speaker Vijay Sinha.

He alleged that his car was stopped by security personnel at the gate of the Vidhan Sabha as the convoy of the DM and the SSP was crossing from that gate.

"I request you sir (Speaker) to decide if DM and SSP have higher ranks or a cabinet minister? Due to these officers, security personnel deployed at the gate of Vidhan Sabha are insulting the elected representatives," Jivesh Kumar, a minister under the BJP quota in the Nitish Kumar government, said.

"We need immediate suspension of these two officers. I would not participate in Vidhan Sabha proceedings until action is taken against them," Kumar said.

"Sir (Speaker), you are the custodian of Bihar Vidhan Sabha. Hence, you must give assurance about action to be taken against them," he added.

Jivesh Kumar also got the support of other BJP MLAs and opposition leaders inside the House.

RJD MLAs said that the Bihar police are involved in brutal assault on opposition legislators during the monsoon session and misbehaviour with a cabinet minister.

BJP MLAs and ministers had expressed concern over the dominance of the bureaucracy during a party meeting on Day 1 of the winter session. Many believed that it is better for the BJP to stay away from this government as officers do not listen to their grievances.

Following the incident, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, the parliamentary affairs minister, defended the SSP and DM. He blamed the traffic personnel deployed at the gate, who stopped the car of the minister.