Patna, (Bihar Times): The Bihar assembly on Monday witnessed uproarious scene with the ruling party and opposition MLAs creating storm over violation of protocol and slighting of legislators by bureaucrats during official functions organized to launch development and welfare schemes in their constituencies. The entire opposition staged a walk-out over the issue.

Interestingly, the issue was raised by the BJP MLA from Katihar, Tarkishore Prasad, alleging that the authorities had invited all the legislators from the district as ‘special guests’ during a loan distribution ceremony under Swarana Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana on November 13 in ‘gross violation of the protocol’.

The MLA wanted to know whether the state government was  planning to direct the district authorities to follow protocol ‘in letter and spirit’.

Energy Minister and minister in-charge of state cabinet secretariat department Vijendra Prasad Yadav tried to assure MLAs by stating that the state government would get the matter inquired and take stern action against the officials who failed to follow protocol in future.

Upon this the opposition MLAs accused the state government of not ensuring respect to the people’s representatives. RJD chief whip Ramchandra Purve urged Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary to convene a meeting to be attended by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, opposition leader Rabri Devi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ramshray Prasad Singh and leaders of other political parties to discuss the issue.

Lok Janshakti Party’s Maheshwar Singh and CPI-M’s Ramdeo Verma charged the state government with adopting two yardsticks for the ruling and opposition MLAs  which is not in keeping with parliamentary norms. According to them while ruling alliance members are honoured, legislators belonging to the opposition were subjected to ridicule and disrespect.

Calling upon the Speaker to convene a meeting of all political parties the opposition members staged a walkout from the House. Reacting on the issue Nitish Kumar in his official chamber told the reporters that he had asked chief secretary R J M Pillai to get the matter probed and take steps to ensure that the legislators get full respect at official functions.