Democracy murdered in Bihar, says Congress after ruckus in state assembly

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday alleged that democracy has been murdered in Bihar after opposition legislators were allegedly roughed up by the police inside the state assembly.

The Bihar Assembly witnessed unprecedented turmoil on Tuesday and the police was called in to physically evict legislators who had laid siege to the Speakers chamber.

Members of the opposition Grand Alliance, comprising RJD, Congress and the Left, were agitated over the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said those stripping democracy have no right to call themselves a government.

He said the opposition will continue to raise issues in public interest and do not fear anything.

"It is clear from the shameful events in Bihar Assembly that the chief minister is firmly under the influence of BJP and RSS. Those stripping democracy have no right to call themselves a government," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

"The opposition will continue to raise issues in public interest. We are not afraid," he also said.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala urged people to raise their voice against the alleged police high handedness in Bihar where RJD and Congress MLAs were allegedly assaulted and manhandled by the police.

He said they were raising their voice against the passage of the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill in the state assembly, that will empower the police to put anyone behind bars.

"Democracy had been murdered in Bihar and if the people of the country will not raise their voice now, there will be no democracy left in the country," he told reporters.

Surjewala charged that hooliganism has become the order of the day by the JDU and BJP in Bihar.

"Is this goes on for long, the state legislature will be destroyed as Parliamentary traditions are already compromised. How will this country run," he asked.

The Congress leader alleged that if the rights of elected representatives in a democracy and the voice of people is crushed like this, then the country and its Constitution will not survive.

"I appeal to all citizens to raise their voice against this atrocity, dictatorship and against such hooliganism being spread across the country by the BJP and their friends. If you do not raise your voice now, you will also be held complicit in this travesty. All citizens should unite to raise their voice," Surjewala said.