Bihar Legislators protest 'harassment' in name of security

Legislators in Bihar protested for the second day today "harassment" by way of rigorous checking of their vehicles in the wake of a RJD MLA sitting on dharna with liquor bottles on the opening day of the state assembly on Monday.

Members in both House of the Legislature - Assembly and Council - registered their protest against harassment in the name of security check up.

In the state assembly, as the House sat for the day, RJD member Dinesh Kumar Singh and CPI's Awdesh Kumar Rai rose from seats and entered into well during question hour in protest.

Leader of the Opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui said the security check up of the legislators vehicle was being done in an "undignified" manner. He further said that behaviour of security personnel was also "insulting" for legislators.

In the state Legislative Council, BJP MLC Baidyanath Prasad raised the issue during zero hour and sought reply from the government.

RJD members Tanvir Hassan and Sanjay Prasad Singh and JD(U) Devesh Chandra Thakur sought to know on whose direction such security check was done.

Parliamentary Affairs minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav said in the Council that the exercise was being carried as per rules and direction of the Speaker and Chairman of the Council.

Security arrangements are needed in the changed scenario. "There could be attack by naxalites or protestors can enter into Legislature premises. Besides, Central government send alert from time to time," he said and justified rigorous security exercise.

RJD MLA Dinesh Kumar Singh had sat on dharna outside the Assembly gate on February 18 with liquor bottles to draw the Governor's attention to a demand to ban alcohol because of its grave socio-economic consequences. The incident prompted tightening of security.