NDA protest over paper leak in Bihar House

Patna: Bihar Assembly today witnessed vociferous protest by NDA members demanding CBI probe into the paper leak scam in clerical grade examination of Bihar State Service Commission (BSSC).

They were also demanding the sacking of ministers reported to have sent recommendation to the BSSC Chairman in favour of their candidates.

As the House sat for the day, Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar demanded suspension of the Question Hour to take up the urgent matter of the paper leak in BSSC exam.

With the Speaker refusing to accept the plea citing that it was not in accordance with rules and it was not the right time for raising it, BJP and its NDA allies trooped into the Well and demanded a CBI probe and the sacking of the ministers.

The Question Hour continued despite slogan shouting by the opposition members.

NDA members whose names were called out for raising questions did not do so and remained in the Well.

The opposition protest intensified subsequently and before the House was adjourned till 2 PM, some members upturned Assembly reporters' table forcing the staff to vacate their seat and also flew order papers in the air.

The protest gained momentum when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar arrived in the House.

The Speaker urged the agitating members and Leader of the Opposition to maintain order in the House but his repeated pleas failed to stop the protesting MLAs.

Later outside the House, former Chief Minister and BJP's ally Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) President Jitan Ram Manjhi attacked the Grand Alliance government over the issue.

Manjhi, during whose tenure BSSC Chairman Sudhir Kumar, who is under arrest now in connection with the paper leak issue, was the Home Secretary, told reporters that his arrest reflects the "vindictive" attitude of the government.

"I have some papers which I will make public in a day or two regaring ministers and other members of Grand Alliance government sending recommendation to BSSC Chairman in favour of their candidates in the exam for recruitment of clerks," Manjhi said.

Inspector General of Police N H Khan who had come to the Assembly, in reply to repeated queries of mediapersons on the paper leak issue, said the inquiry was moving ahead in the "right direction".

Meanwhile, IAS officers wore black ribbon while attending duty to continue with their protest against colleague Sudhir Kumar whom they described as an "honest" officer.

Vivek Kumar Singh, state IAS Association Secretary, said they would continue to protest against the BSSC Chairman's arrest.