Bihar assembly passes GST Bill amid ruckus created by Oppn

Patna: The state Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Bihar Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018 with voice vote amid pandemonium by the opposition over an another issue pertaining to "deteriorating" law and order situation. The Assembly could not transact any business in both the sessions except for passage of the Bill on GST.

The House proceedings lasted for eight minutes during pre-lunch session while the post-lunch session could barely run for 17 minutes.

The central government has already got the amendments passed by the Parliament over GST and states have to ratify them as the state government had brought an ordinance due to the fact that the state legislature was not in session.

As the House assembled in the post-lunch session at 2 PM, the opposition members from RJD, Congress and CPI(ML) rushed into the well of the House raising slogans against the Nitish Kumar government and demanding discussion on the adjournment motion moved by them on law and order situation.

The opposition had disrupted the proceedings in the first half on the same issue, forcing Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary to adjourn the House till 2 pm.

The opposition members continued with their demand even during the post-lunch session on the same issue by rushing again into the well demanding that their adjournment motion over "deteriorating" law and order situation be accepted for the debate.

The Speaker pleaded with them to go back to their seats and allow the Question Hour as nothing is being heard even LOP's voice in the din created by them (opposition).

On this, Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said there was no point in getting the Bill passed when the House was not in order.

"The debate on deteriorating law and order situation in the state should be taken up in the House by accepting our adjourment motion. The Supreme Court today came down heavily on the state government during a hearing of the Muzaffarpur shelter home case," Yadav said.

He drew attention to a recent incident in which Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi had allegedly urged criminals with folded hands to refrain from anti-social activities during the 'Pitri Paksh' fair at Gaya.