BJP disrupts Bihar assembly over insult to Modi

The Bharatiya Janata Party legislators also threatened not to allow the Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance government to proceed with the ongoing budget session unless the Chief Minister sacked Mastan.

Patna, March 1: Angry over Bihar Excise and Prohibition Minister Abdul Jalil Mastan's reported video clip asking people to beat Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph with shoes, the BJP members on Wednesday disrupted the proceeding in the state assembly.

The Bharatiya Janata Party legislators also threatened not to allow the Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance government to proceed with the ongoing budget session unless the Chief Minister sacked Mastan.

The Excise Minister's video on February 22, that was telecast on a Hindi news channel, also condemned the Centre's November 8, 2016, demonetisation move. The video went viral on the social media. The opposition BJP legislators started protesting and shouting slogans, disrupting the house, the moment the proceedings began.

This forced Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary to adjourn the house till 12 p.m. Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar told the media here that the BJP will protest in and outside the assembly over the public abuse of Modi.

"We will not allow the government to run the assembly unless the Chief Minister sacked Mastan," Prem Kumar said. He also demanded an apology.

As the BJP leaders staged protest outside the house, party legislator Nitin Navin said that Mastan, from the minority community, had abused Modi to humiliate the majority Hindu community in the country.

"Mastan must go, BJP will not accept anything less than his removal from the state cabinet," Navin said. Some BJP legislators went to the extent of calling Mastan a "Bangladeshi" and an "anti-national", who was involved in "petty politics for vote". In the video, Mastan was seen addressing a crowd in Purnea district's Amour assembly conastituency, saying that it was Modi who had promised to face punishment if he failed to end people's woes within 50 days.

It was then that Mastan suggested that the crowd should beat Modi's photograph with their shoes. Mastan has not come out with any explanation or defence since the video surfaced.

IANS