Oppositions’ pendamonium over grim flood situation in Bihar

By Rajni Shankar

Patna, July 15 (HS): Bihar Assembly was adjourned during pre lunch session today following ruckus created by the opposition over the grim flood scenario in North Bihar.

Soon after the members assemble for the day, Lalit Yadav, Bhai Virendra and other members of RJD strongly raised the issue and demanded special debate on it postponing the business of the House enlisted for the day.

When the members tried to attract the attention of the Speaker to this serious subject, the Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary urged them to move the issue at the appropriate time. Following the request of the Chair, the proceedings of the question hour were taken up.

Soon after the question hour, RJD’s Lalit Yadav tried to raise the issue to which the Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary turned down both of the adjournment motions moved separately by Sameer Kumar Mahaseth, Mohamed Nemtullah, Nawaz Alam, Rajendra Kumar and Yaduvansh Kumar Yadav, Lalit Yadav, Satyadev Ram and Rajendra Kumar.

Following rejection of the adjournment motion, Lalit Yadav of RJD alleged that the government was in slumber even when the North Bihar is reeling under grievous floods.He said that no relief has been provided to the flood affected people. People do not have food, there is no cattle feed, there is no one to take away the dead bodies and the government has not initiated the relief work.

To this, the entire Opposition members where on their toes and said that the situation of the flood was alarming. The opposition raised slogans against the government on this subject and tried to draw attention of the government and that of the chair towards this serious issue.

Amid noisy scene, Abdul Bari Siddiqui of the RJD said that despite remaining aware of the situation, the government is totally insensitive towards it and was maintaining silence over the issue. He demanded the government to inform the House about the relief measures taken up view of the flood situation.

Energy Minister Vijendra Yadav said that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had conducted an aerial survey of flood affected areas on Sunday and a special seminar was organized on July 13 on this subject. He tried to assure the House that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will give detailed information on this subject after the aerial survey of Purnia division.

Speaker Vijay Chaudhary said that in view of the seriousness of the matter, he had advised the members to move the adjournment motion at the appropriate time so that a serious debate can be taken up in the House.  Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shravan Kumar too suggested to raise the issue according to the rules.

To this Abdul Bari Siddiqui said that the areas of many members were submerged in the flood. He urged the Speaker to adjourn the proceeding of the Lower House for two days so that the members could go to their respective flood affected areas.

Meanwhile, in support of their adjournment motion ,the slogan shouting members of the RJD and CPI-ML trooped to the well and created ruckus. Reacting to this, Shrawn Kumar alleged the opposition was trying to take political mileage over the most sensitive issue like flood.

Accusing the Opposition of politicising such a serious subject, Shravan Kumar said that the opposition has nothing to do with the problem. The speaker tried to bring the house in order but the opposition continued to shout anti-government slogans and created noisy scene following which the house was adjourned till lunch break.