NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday witnessed an animated debate on the political stalemate in Bihar with the Government coming under fire from the Opposition for the deteriorating law and order situation under the present dispensation.

The House took up for discussion the Statutory Resolution of the Government for continuance of the March 7, 2005 Proclamation for President's Rule for another six months beginning September 7, along with a motion by Nitish Kumar (Janata Dal-United) expressing concern over deteriorating law and order and the situation arising out of the Chief Secretary proceeding on long leave.

The marathon discussion saw several interruptions as both sides — particularly members from Bihar — crossed swords. After Home Minister Shivraj Patil moved the resolution, Mr. Kumar took centre stage, questioning the Governor's action, which, he said, forced the Chief Secretary to go on leave.

Protocol violation

Referring to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech at a recent Collectors' conference, Mr. Kumar said that while he urged bureaucrats to be even-handed and spoke out against frequent transfers, his own Government shifted officials in Bihar. The Governor broke the protocol when he went and met the Chief Secretary to ask him to reconsider his decision, said Mr. Kumar. Questioning the Government's midnight decision to dissolve the Assembly, he said: "It is ironical that when the Opposition tries to put together a government, we are accused of horse-trading but when the ruling benches do the same by wooing members of other parties it is called a realignment of secular forces."

Demanding the recall of the Governor, Mr. Kumar signed off, saying: "If you want to keep him there, do so at your own peril."

Echoing his views, Bharatiya Janata Party member Sushil Kumar Modi charged the Government with "murdering" democracy and said it decided to dissolve the Assembly without any evidence of horse-trading. "All that the Government has been saying till date is that there was a possibility of horse-trading." The decision was taken just to ensure against a change of guard in Bihar.

Frequent interruptions

Mr. Modi was interrupted time and again. At one point, BJP and Rashtriya Janata Dal members got into a heated round of allegations and counter-allegations and Mr. Patil protested against the use of abusive language by the Opposition. The Opposition, in turn, questioned the manner in which a Cabinet Minister — Lalu Prasad — was instigating members.

Even as Basudeb Acharia of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) reiterated his party's call for putting up a secular front in Bihar, Mohan Singh of Samajwadi Party said his party — despite supporting President's Rule in March — was opposed to it this time round because the dissolution of the Assembly was morally and legally wrong. Also, there could be no greater slight to the constitutional office of Governor than the incumbent going to the Chief Secretary's house.

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