Muzaffarpur shelter home case rocks Bihar assembly on the last day of the Budget session

The Bihar assembly was adjourned till 2pm Wednesday, the last day of the Budget session, as opposition RJD members stalled the proceedings, demanding resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the wake of an order by a special POCSO court on Muzaffarpur sex scandal.

As the House assembled at 11 am, the RJD MLAs, led by its chief spokesman Bhai Virendra, were on their feet demanding that Kumar explain "18 questions" raised by Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in connection with the court order at Muzaffarpur last week.

The POCSO court had 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 in the release of funds to the shelter home from 2013 to 2018.

Soon after the proceedings began, the RJD members rushed to the Well, raising slogans against the state government, even as Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary pleaded with them to let the House function in the interest of public.

As the commotion continued for some time, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm.

Later, talking to reporters, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shravan Kumar lambasted the opposition, saying "they have no issue to discuss and hence they resort to disruption. The House is in session and Tejashwi Yadav has the leisure to address a press conference in New Delhi, but does not find it convenient to attend the Assembly".

After the Muzaffarpur court's order last week, the House plunged into turmoil Monday, with the opposition seeking the CM's resignation. On Tuesday, Tejashwi Yadav held a press conference in New Delhi attacking Kumar on the issue.

A report from Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences blew the lid over the sexual abuse case last year, triggering a political storm in the state.

An FIR was lodged in May last year and a number of persons, including Brajesh Thakur, the owner of the NGO running the shelter home, were arrested by police in connection with the scandal.

The matter was handed over to the CBI in July.

Shortly afterwards, state Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma stepped down as media reported that her husband had close links with Brajesh Thakur.

-PTI