Nitish Kumar rebukes speaker Vijay Sinha in Bihar Assembly

Patna, March 14 (IANS) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday pulled up Assembly Speaker Vijay Sinha after BJP MLA Sanjay Sarawgi pointed out an issue of Lakhisarai in the house.

Vijay Sinha had recently brought breach of privilege motion in the house after two SHOs and a DSP rank officers allegedly misbehaved with him in his home district Lakhisarai on February 9.

Under the special privilege motion, he asked the chief secretary and DGP of Bihar to take action in this matter. Unfortunately, no action has been taken against alleged SHOs and DSP.

Sanjay Sarawgi, a BJP leader took up the issue during the Question hour of Vidhan Sabha and asked the minister to inform the house about the action taken report.

As the chief minister is also holding the home minister portfolio, he got upset. He stood from the seat and directly told the speaker that the house cannot run like this. "This is my fourth stint as chief minister and have never come across any situation like this where a question is repeatedly asked in the Assembly. The House cannot run like this. You (Speaker) cannot interfere in every matter. The investigation is currently underway. We neither frame nor save anyone. Who are you to adjourn the house over a question of a particular place?" Kumar asked.

"I will ask the department concerned to provide the status of the investigation. If anyone has any doubt, I will hold a meeting on this matter today," Kumar said.

Replying to the chief minister, Speaker Sinha said: "The members of the entire house including you (Chief Minister) elected me as the speaker. I am a custodian of the house and it is my duty to strengthen the voice of every public representative of the house. This issue has been pointed out thrice in the house and legislators of ruling and opposition parties have the same stand. Despite this, the issue was not addressed by the home department. The situation is as such that despite sitting on the chair of the speaker, I am unable to raise issues of my areas (My district)," Sinha said.

"When I visit my constituency, people ask me that I am sitting on such a big post but unable to address the issues of my areas. Why has the state government not taken action against two SHOs and a DSP?" Sinha said.

"When it comes to the constitution, people like me are always eager to learn from you (Chief Minister) and other senior members of the house. You are more knowledgeable than me but please don't disrespect the Speaker's chair," Sinha said.