Patna: The opening day of the five-day monsoon session of the state legislature began on a stormy note, as opposition members created noisy scenes, demanding withdrawal of the special intensive revision (SIR) of the state’s electoral roll, being conducted by the Election Commission (EC). They alleged that the names of electors would be deleted selectively to help the ruling NDA during the assembly polls.They also demanded discussion in the two Houses on the state’s law and order situation with a govt’s reply on it. The rising crime graph, they alleged, had peaked with the recent killing of high-profile industrialists, businessmen and others, as also by the killing of a notorious gangster in the ward of a private hospital.Leader of opposition in the state assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, on Monday made a plea to the Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav and the govt (read CM Nitish Kumar) to allow discussion in the House on the SIR and also law and order situation.Tejashwi, who was talking to reporters after the formal joint meeting of the GA constituents following the adjournment of the state assembly for the day, said the issue of SIR exercise was raised even in Parliament on its opening day on Monday.“We appeal to assembly Speaker and the govt to allow on Tuesday a discussion on the SIR exercise in the House, followed by the govt’s reply on it. If the govt and Speaker do not agree to allow the discussion, then they will find it difficult to speak during the remaining period,” Tejashwi said, indicating that the remaining House sittings on the remaining four days might witness unruly scenes.To protest the SIR exercise, members of the CPI(ML), CPI and CPM arrived wearing black kurtas and white pyjamas. They carried placards that read, “withdraw SIR.”On the other hand, the RJD and Congress members assembled below the portico, demanding withdrawal of the SIR, and raised slogans asking for the resignation of the CM for “failing to control the rising crime”. The placards they carried read, ‘GuNDA Raj Naheen Chalega (the gunda raj will not be allowed).’When the Speaker started announcing the names of presiding members and the business advisory committee, the opposition members stood at their seats, demanding the withdrawal of the SIR. This continued for a while when the Speaker was making the obituary reference to the departed members of the House. Soon, the assembly was adjourned for the day.
