RJD Leader Expelled From Bihar Legislative Council For 'Mimicking' CM Nitish Kumar, Calls It 'Black Day In Democracy'

Another RJD MLC Mohd Qari Sohaib, who also engaged in disruptive behaviour on the same day, has been suspended for two days.

Rashritya Janata Dal Member of the Legislative Council Sunil Singh on Friday was expelled from the Bihar Legislative Council, after the Ethics Committe found his behaviour against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the last budget session on February 13 to be inappropriate. Reacting to his expulsion, Sunil Singh remarked: "Democracy has been murdered today" adding that it was a "black day in democracy". 

Singh had raised slogans against the Bihar CM and mimicked him during a heated exchange in the House. A case involving Sunil Singh had been submitted to the Ethics Committe, following which the probe found him guilty of misconduct. He has been charged with insulting Nitish Kumar by mimicking his body language and for questioning the competence of the Committee's members last month, when he appeared before them.

A motion for his expulsion was passed by voice vote, a day after the committee submitted its report to acting chairman Awadhesh Narain Singh.

Besides his expulsion, another RJD MLC Mohd Qari Sohaib, who also engaged in disruptive behaviour on the same day, has been suspended for two days. Sohaib had expressed regret for his behaviour unlike Singh remained defiant.

Following Singh's expulsion, the Bihar government minister Ashok Choudhary stated that the government had nothing to do with it and that the decision was made by the independent Ethics Committee of the Legislative Council.

'Democracy Has Been Murdered'

Following his expulsion, Singh said: "Democracy has been murdered today. Our Leader of Opposition Rabri Devi ji said that I should be given a time to speak, however, they clearly denied. This has never happened before in the history."

The expelled MLC also alleged that the Ethics Committee report was "full of falsehoods".

"I am accused of mimicking the CM. Let them first declare that mimicry is not allowed in the House. And the allegation that I had likened myself to a district magistrate and told Committee members that they were like ADMs who could not question me, is a blatant lie," claimed Singh.

Rabri Devi Denounces Singh's Expulsion

The decision came on the final day of the monsoon session, and the RJD MLC's suspension will take effect when the House reconvenes. Notably, he is the second MLC from RJD to have been expelled. In February, RJD's Rambal Singh was also expelled on charges of working against the party line and for issuing objectionable statements against Tejashwi Yadav.

Responding to Rabri Devi's statement that a new presedent has been set, Choudhary questioned as to why the membership of Rambali, who belongs to a backward class background, was revoked on the basis of RJD's recommendation.

 Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi had denounced the expulsion and called it a "dark chapter in history." 

She also asked whether the House would also take action against Nitish Kumar, who had allegedly threatened to destroy (barbaad kar denge) Singh during the heated exchange in the House.

Opposition leader Rabri Devi and other RJD legislators had arrived at the House wearing black badges today to protest, anticipating trouble for Singh.

Meanwhile, Ashok Kumar Pandey, an RJD MLC and Ethics Committee member, claimed that the proceedings were never shared with the committee despite repeated requests, despite it stating unanimous recommendations.

The opposition MLCs had also requested that Singh be given an opportunity to defend himself.

However, the request was turned down by the Chair, saying that he had ceased to be a member of the House and cannot be called inside. Subsequebtly, all the opposition MLCs staged a walkout.