RJD MLC Sunil Singh expelled from Council for unparliamentary behavior towards CM Nitish Kumar
Patna: The Ethics Committee of the Bihar Legislative Council on Friday expelled Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLC Sunil Singh, under charge of behaving in an unparliamentary manner in the House earlier this year.
The panel, headed by MLC Rambachan Rai, took disciplinary action against Singh for his derogatory comments on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the Budget session of the Bihar Assembly in February this year, as reported by the Indian Express.
Sunil Singh, who is also a close associate of RJD leader and former Chief Minister of Bihar Lalu Prasad Yadav, however, denied having mimicked Nitish Kumar ever. He also questioned the expulsion of a legislator for merely mimicking the CM, pointing out that Nitish Kumar himself had threatened several members of the Council, including Sunil Singh. The CM disrespected women and faced several corruption cases during his tenure, he added.
Rabri Devi, Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council, strongly criticized the move against Sunil Singh, calling it a “dark chapter in the history of democracy.” In protest, RJD legislators, including Devi, arrived at the House wearing black badges.
Another RJD MLC, Mohammed Qari Sohaib, who had also attempted to mimic the Chief Minister, issued an apology and was suspended from the Legislative Council for two days.
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Unruly scenes witnessed in Punjab Assembly
Chandigarh (PTI): The Punjab Assembly on Friday witnessed high drama on Friday after Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira made an allegedly objectionable remark against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during an intense argument over the alleged use of mobile phone in the house by the legislator.
During the one-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Mann accused Khaira of using a mobile phone when Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was reading out an official resolution on the revision of wages.
After rising from his seat, the chief minister pointed to the speaker, claiming that Khaira is busy on his mobile phone and urged him to ask the Congress MLA what Sandhwan had said about the resolution.
The speaker then asked Khaira to maintain order in the house and listen to the resolution carefully.
Mann then asked Khaira, "Why don't you go out and then use it (mobile phone)," which led to a strong verbal altercation during which the opposition MLA hurled an accusation against the chief minister. Meanwhile, the speaker appealed for order and insisted that the chair be addressed.
However, both Mann and Khaira continued arguing and could be seen pointing fingers at each other as the proceedings of the house were disrupted.
The AAP MLAs also rose from their seats with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema condemning Khaira for his conduct and demanded action against him.
Cheema further alleged that Khaira "always tries to disturb the house" as he spoke about his conduct in the assembly.
The incident occurred as an official resolution on the revision of wages was presented at the special session by Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond who said it paid homage to labourers on the International Workers' Day.
"Workers are the axis of construction of the nation, the community, the state and society. Every construction project succeeds only through their blood and sweat," the resolution read.
As per the resolution, "The base rate of minimum wages for the working class in Punjab was last revised in the year 2012. Although the dearness allowance has continued to increase since 2012, there has been no increase in the base rate of minimum wages.
On this sacred occasion of May Day, in this special session of the legislative assembly, this house proposes to revise and increase the minimum wages of labourers and strongly recommends to the government to take a decision regarding the increase of minimum wages for workers, so that the contributions of the workers can be acknowledged." PRK
