Patna, June 26: The Bihar assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes during Zero Hour when a BJP member charged rural development minister Awadh Bihari Choudhry with accepting "bribes" for the transfer and postings of block development officers. The House plunged into turmoil when BJP member Satyadeo Singh accused the minister of taking bribe to stay the transfer order of Sidahaulia, BDO in Gopalganj district, despite the minister's announcement in the House yesterday that the concerned BDO, transferred seven months back but not yet shifted, would be relieved within two days. The accusation against the minister was vehemently opposed by sugarcane development minister Raghvendra Pratap Singh who demanded the allegation levelled against Choudhry be expunged from the proceedings. Singh was joined by Dasai Choudhry and Lalit Yadav of the RJD, who had a verbal duel with Speaker Sadanand Singh over the issue of expunction. The speaker said none would be allowed to make unfounded allegations against the government even as agitated RJD members sought an apology from the member concerned for levelling graft charges against the minister when he was not present in the house to defend himself. Earlier, Manjit Singh of JD(U) quoting newspaper reports alleged that the minister after assuring the House that the concerned BDO would be transferred within two days had stayed his transfer and demanded that a privilege motion should be moved against the minister for "misleading" the House. The Speaker took serious note of the issue and said he would personally seek explanation from the minister. The House once again plunged into turmoil when power went off in the assembly with agitated BJP members trooping into the well of the House demanding resignation of energy minister Shakeel Ahmed Khan for prevailing power crisis.

Bureau Report