The Bihar Legislative Assembly witnessed dramatic scenes on Thursday as the Monsoon Session opened with fierce arguments over the police action against students protesting in Patna. The protest, organised over alleged paper leaks in the country, turned into a major political controversy after police used lathi-charge and tear gas to disperse demonstrators on Wednesday.
The issue dominated the Assembly from the very beginning, with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition blaming each other for the violence and disruption linked to the protest.
Student protest becomes centre of Assembly debate
Even before the Question Hour began, a BJP MLA raised the matter in the House. He claimed that the protest was not led by genuine students but by politically motivated people who had joined the demonstration to create unrest.
The legislator alleged that he and several other BJP MLAs faced a life-threatening attack during the protest. According to him, while every citizen has the democratic right to protest peacefully, violence and destruction of property cannot be accepted.
He further claimed that members linked to certain political parties had entered the protest under the name of a student movement and attempted to disturb law and order. The BJP MLA also alleged that vehicles belonging to BJP leaders and legislators were attacked during the demonstration, saying such actions did not represent the behaviour of students.
He added that students have every right to raise genuine concerns, but attacks on public representatives and damage to public property cannot be justified.
Government calls protest “sponsored”
Cabinet Minister Shravan Kumar also defended the government’s stand. He said protests and public demonstrations are a part of democracy, but claimed the current agitation was not being led by students themselves.
According to Kumar, the protest was a “sponsored affair” where political leaders had encouraged people to create unrest. He accused the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress of playing a role in the events that unfolded in Patna on Wednesday.
He said that everyone has the right to express their views peacefully, but violence should never be accepted. Kumar also insisted that Bihar’s law functions independently and stated that the government neither falsely implicates anyone nor protects anyone from legal action.
Opposition slams police action
The ruling party’s statements immediately drew strong protests from Opposition MLAs. They accused the government of trying to silence students who were raising concerns over paper leaks.
Opposition members strongly criticised the police lathi-charge and tear-gas action against the protesters. They demanded that the government explain why force was in use and called for accountability over the incident.
The sharp exchanges between both sides led to loud protests inside the Assembly, disrupting normal proceedings.
Speaker appeals for order
As the arguments grew louder, Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar stepped in to restore order. He reminded members that every legislator has the right to raise issues affecting the public but urged them to maintain the dignity of the House.
The Speaker appealed to both the ruling party and the Opposition to hold discussions peacefully and present their arguments in an organised manner so that Assembly proceedings could continue smoothly.
Opposition stages protest outside Assembly
The political confrontation was not just on the Assembly floor. Before the session began, Opposition MLAs reached the Assembly complex carrying banners and posters against the NDA government.
They raised slogans condemning the police action against students and staged a sit-in protest outside the Assembly. Protesters repeatedly shouted, “Remove BJP, Save Education,” while demanding the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Senior RJD leader Alok Mehta accused the government of using excessive force against students and attempting to suppress their voices. He questioned why the government had failed to properly investigate the paper leak issue and described both the alleged paper leak and the police action as serious failures that deserved condemnation.