Agnipath row rocks Bihar assembly; oppn asks Nitish to 'break silence'

Row over the Agnipath scheme continued to rock Bihar assembly for the second consecutive day on Tuesday when the opposition's persistent demands for a debate were rejected by the Chair maintaining that the matter fell outside the purview of the House.

The proceedings began at 11 AM on a raucous note with members of the RJD-led opposition raising slogans against the new scheme of recruitment in the armed forces.

They also urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was present in the House, to "break silence" (chuppi todo) on the issue.

Notably, many top lenders of the chief minister's JD(U) have been sympathetic towards the protests against Agnipath, much to the annoyance of ally BJP which has been at the receiving end of the unrest witnessed in the state.

Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha tried to run the House, conducting the Question Hour in the midst of the rumpus by opposition members, many of whom sat in the well.

About half an hour later, the proceedings were adjourned till noon as the din was coming in the way of legislative business.

When the House reassembled, the opposition members' cacophony forced adjournment till 2 PM.