Opposition legislators muzzled inside and outside Bihar Assembly

Even as the Bihar Legislative Assembly passed the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021, giving more powers to the police, the Bihar police, led by senior officers, stormed into the Legislative Assembly premises, to forcibly evict opposition legislators protesting the Bill.

The Bill, termed as Black Bill, by the opposition comprising Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], among others, empowers the police to arrest anybody or carry out searches of premises, without a warrant.

When the opposition legislators protested the introduction of the Bill in the Assembly, the House was adjourned as legislators, mostly women, went on the Speaker’s podium to protest.

The Speaker, Vijay Kumar Sinha, then went to his chamber, and the opposition legislators protested outside his chamber. The marshals of the Assembly could not evict the protesting legislators and senior police officials were summoned to evict the legislators.

When the Assembly reassembled, the opposition staged a walk-out and the Bill was passed in their absence.

The opposition legislators continued their protest outside the assembly too, but were given lathi blows by the police, injuring many of them. The opposition claimed that RJD and CPI(M) legislators fell unconscious duty to the lathi blows.

Videos of male police personnel dragging a female legislator, have gone viral with senior opposition leaders, including former Chief Minister Rabri Devi condemning the police action.

The police beat up the legislators mercilessly outside the Assembly premises and dragged them along the road, further injuring them.

RJD MLA Sudhakar Singh was kicked by the police and legislator Kiran Devi was also dragged by the police.

“Dictatorship of Nitish has seeped into his police force! Without any provocation, they started pelting stones and lathi charging the protestors agitating & sloganeering peacefully. CM Nitish, your days in power are numbered! You will be made answerable for each of your sin,” Tejashwi said in a tweet.