RJD MLAs shout slogans inside the House, orders from Ranchi, quips Nitish

The House, where proceedings had been adjourned within minutes of commencement at 11 a m, reassembled at 2 p m after the lunch hour and legislative business was being transacted amid continued shouting of slogans by the opposition MLAs.

The MLAs were demanding Kumars resignation in the wake of a court order forwarding an application for investigating his role, besides that of top bureaucrats, in the release of funds to the Muzaffarpur shelter home, which got embroiled in the infamous sex scandal.

While introducing the bill for extending 10 per cent reservations to the economically backward sections among the unreserved category, Kumar turned towards Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and said I fail to understand what this uproar is about. Whenever these people have indulged in such antics it has always boomeranged and it is going to boomerang this time as well.

I also wish to say, what they are saying  half of them do not mean it. But they have received orders. From where? From Ranchi. So I will say, you have every right to make noise. Do so and enjoy yourself, Kumar remarked sarcastically.

But remember today is a historic day when we are bringing in a bill to introduce the facility of reservations to those who are economically backward. Such a legislation should have been passed unanimously. Those who are trying to obstruct the business should remember you will have to face the people on this count, Kumar said before taking his seat.

Earlier, no sooner than the House assembled at 11 A.M, RJD MLAs were on their feet demanding that Kumar, who was not present at that time, tender his resignation in the wake of an order passed by the special POCSO court at Muzaffarpur last week.

The court had last week forwarded to CBI an application filed by one of the accused in the scandal seeking investigation into the role of the chief minister and a number of top bureaucrats for release of funds to the shelter home from 2013 to 2018, when sexual abuse of inmates was flagged in a report of social audit conducted by Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

Chaudharys remarked that his understanding was that there was no direction for investigating the chief ministers role and the court had merely forwarded the application seeking a probe to the CBI.

This failed to pacify the opposition MLAs, many of whom trooped into the well, after which the House was adjourned till 2 P.M.

An adjournment motion on the issue was also moved before the house by CPI(ML) members Satyadeo Ram, Sudama Rai and Mehboob Alam wherein a demand for the chief ministers resignation was made.

They alleged that until now only "small fries" were being targeted in the investigation into the scandal.

Leader of opposition in the legislative council, Rabri Devi, who is also the former chief minister, too demanded Kumar's resignation.

"He (Kumar) is quick to demand high standards of probity from others. He should live up to these himself," she told newsmen in the council premises.

The opposition leaders also staged a sit-in in front of a statue of former chief minister and OBC stalwart Karpoori Thakur inside the premises.