Patna, Jul 21 (PTI): Sixty seven opposition MLAs in Bihar were suspended for unruly behaviour and marshalled out as utter chaos prevailed inside and outside the Assembly on Wednesday during which a slipper was flung at the Speaker and a woman member threw several flower pots around.
The slogan-shouting members, including 42 RJD MLAs, were suspended by Assembly Speaker Udai Narain Choudhry for the rest of the monsoon session with both the Assembly and the Legislative Council in the poll-bound state witnessing turmoil for the second straight day. The leaders were marshalled out one by one.
More drama prevailed outside the Legislative Council when a suspended Congress MLC Jyoti Kumari animatedly threw flower pots and created a ruckus when the watch and ward staff tried to prevent her from entering the house. A hysterical Kumari was dragged a few feet by three women watch and ward staff from the Council premises.
The scene inside was no better when RJD MLC Sanjay Prasad removed a microphone and hurled it triggering angry responses from the treasury benches.
RJD MLA R C Paswan, who was marshalled out of the Assembly, reportedly fainted at the gate of the house. He was taken in an ambulance to a government hospital.
The suspension of the MLAs came shortly after around 80 opposition members taking a cue from their opposition counterparts in Karnataka spent the night in the well of the two houses of the state legislature.
The Opposition is demanding the resignation of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar over a CAG report which alleged financial irregularities in the state.
As the watch and ward staff lifted RJD MLA Bablu Dev, his colleagues rushed to his rescue. In the melee, a slipper was thrown towards the Speaker's podium. It was not immediately known who had flung the footwear which, however, did not hit the Speaker.
State RJD president Abdul Bari Siddiqui and RJD deputy leader in the Assembly Shakeel Ahmed Khan were among those suspended.
Eleven LJP members were also suspended from the Assembly.
Opposition members on Tuesday overturned desks and chairs, broke microphones and virtually came to blows with ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance MLAs on the floor of the houses.
Today's action against the MLAs came after they disobeyed the directive of the Speaker to let the House function.
A resolution for the suspension of the MLAs was brought in the House by state parliamentary affairs in-charge Brijendra Prasad Yadav, which was passed by voice vote amid protests by opposition members.
Later, the Speaker ordered that all MLAs protesting in the well of the House be marshalled out of the House.
The Opposition MLAs and MLCs said they would continue their dharna in both the Houses till their demand is met.
"We will not lift the agitation till this corrupt government resigns", RJD deputy leader in the Assembly Shakeel Ahmad Khan said.
Council Chairman T K Jha had on Tuesday suspended 14 opposition MLCs for the day.