Bihar Assembly witnesses strong difference of opinion between CM Nitish Kumar, speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha

The Chief Minister rose to express his outrage when the Speaker asked Cabinet Minister Bijendra Yadav to appraise the House of the action taken with regard to an incident in Lakhisarai

A piquant situation arose in the Bihar Assembly on March 14 when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha had a heated exchange over whether a matter being probed by the government and also referred to the privilege committee could be raised on the floor of the House “again and again”.

The Chief Minister rose to express his outrage when the Speaker asked Cabinet Minister Bijendra Yadav to appraise the House, after a couple of days, of the action taken with regard to an incident in Lakhisarai, which also happens to be Mr. Sinha's Assembly constituency.

“The Minister has been authorised to reply on behalf of the government. When he has submitted that inquiry is under way, you ask him to come up with a fresh reply the day after tomorrow. This is against the rules. Please look at the Constitution”, Mr. Kumar said.

“It is for the government and the police to take action in such matters. The report of the investigation has to be submitted before the court,” he said.

“Is the House empowered to intervene in the matter? I am serving my fourth term as the Chief Minister. I was also a member of the Assembly once. Never have I seen such a procedural anomaly. Please don't run the House in this manner”, Mr. Kumar said.

Mr. Sinha began on a pacifying note, expressing the immense respect he had for the chief minister's knowledge and experience, besides acknowledging the latter's support “which helped my elevation to this Chair”.