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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Centre must roll back LPG price hike, says Kerala CM
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday demanded that the Centre immediately roll back the recent steep hike in LPG prices, alleging that it has severely impacted common people and small businesses.
In a statement, Vijayan described the increase as "one of the most cruel" in the history of cooking gas price revisions, saying it has pushed ordinary households and entrepreneurs into distress.
He said the price of commercial LPG cylinders had been raised by Rs 993 in one go, crossing Rs 3,000, which would adversely affect the hotel and restaurant sector.
The hike in the price of 5-kg LPG cylinders by Rs 251.50 would hit migrant workers and small families who depend on them, he added.
The chief minister alleged that the hike came immediately after the conclusion of Assembly elections in states, placing an additional burden on common people, small-scale entrepreneurs and migrant labourers.
Pointing to the ongoing crisis in West Asia, Vijayan said the hospitality sector has already been facing a shortage of cooking gas for months and the latest price increase would be difficult to absorb.
The burden would ultimately be passed on to consumers, he said, warning that several small establishments, including those in Kerala, could be forced to shut down.
Accusing oil companies of prioritising profits over public welfare, he said such a trend of imposing additional financial burden on people cannot be accepted.
Vijayan also alleged that the Centre's policies favour corporate interests and called for a correction in approach.
He urged the Union government to withdraw the excessive hike without delay.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by the steepest ever Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder on May 1, marking the third straight monthly increase due to rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
