Ruling

Patna, Aug 11 (UNI) Cutting across party lines, the ruling as well as opposition legisltaors today joined hands to maintain their honour and dignity in public and demanded withdrawal of the circular which exempted them from management committee of the high schools during the zero hour today.

Describing the circular of the state government as a 'derogatory decision', the members, including Mr Abdulbari Siddiqui of RJD, Mr Phalguni Yadav of the ruling BJP, Mr Jagdanand Singh of RJD, Mr Jagdish Sharma of JD(U), Mr Ramdeo Verma of CPM, aired their voices against it and demanded to scrap it.

As soon as the zero hour began, Mr Siddiqui raised the issue demanding either the circular's withdrawal or amendment through which the powers of the legislators, who happened to be the chairman of the management committee of the high schools in their jurisdiction, ceases to exist. As per the new arrangement, a sub-committee had been constituted and the principal of the school had been made its chairman to look after the developmental activities of the high schools clipping the wings of the MLAs.

Making a clarification about the issue which had rocked the Assembly yesterday, Bihar Human Resources Development Minister Vrishan Patel said the sub-committee had been made in view of the decision for constructing one lakh high school buildings.

He said the sub committee would only cooperate for implemention of developmental works and the power of the MLAs had not been seized.

The members, however, dubbed it as a parallel committee and insisted for its withdrawal.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he too had seen the related circular and the entire confusion was just because of some of the words which can be amended with the consent of the legislators.

The members who were adamant on their demands for withdrawal of the circular got agitated and vociferously demanded an immediate statement by the government. Amid noisy scenes created by the members specially the opposition, Speaker Udai Narayan Choudhry adjourned the House for 30 minutes before the scheduled lunch break even without taking up the call attention notices.

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