Congress lawmakers dressed in black carried posters and banners inside and outside the Bihar assembly on Monday as they protested against Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as a member of Parliament.
Members of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal (United), and Left parties, which are Congress’s allies in Bihar’s ruling alliance, also joined the protests.
As soon as the proceedings of the assembly got underway, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress legislators rushed into the Well of the House shouting slogans. The BJP raised the issue of the proposed increase in power tariff by 24% and wanted a discussion on the matter.
The Congress members raised the issue of Gandhi’s disqualification and described it as the “murder of democracy”.
As the day’s proceedings began, opposition leader Vijay Kumar Sinha said the proposed tariff increase concerns the common person. The BJP also moved an adjournment motion. “People are angry and they may start agitation. The government must withdraw it.”
Congress legislature party leader Ajeet Sharma raised the issue of disqualification and wanted a discussion on that first. The speaker asked Sharma to raise the matter during the zero hour. But the slogan-shouting Congress legislators rushed into the Well with banners and posters.
The BJP legislators followed suit and prompted the speaker to ask the marshals to remove the posters. Some RJD and Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation members also entered the Well in support of the Congress. The BJP later staged a walkout.
