BJP MLAs Chant 'Jai Shri Ram' During Jharkhand Assembly Session, Protest Against 'Namaz Room'

The House was adjourned at 12:30 PM when the BJP members continued to sloganeer even during Question Hour demanding to build a temple in the assemble building as a Namaz room has been allocated.

Top shot of the main hall of the Jharkhand assembly building. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: BJP MLAs of Jharkhand disrupted House proceedings after they entered into the Well of the Jharkhand assembly on Tuesday while chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' and Hanuman Chalisa in protest over the namaz room. 

The BJP members began their protest over the namaz room and the state's employment policy as soon as the House assembled for the day despite, the Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto repeatedly urged them to allow the conduct of business.

The House was adjourned at 12:30 PM when the BJP members continued to sloganeer even during Question Hour. 

"No disrespect would be tolerated to the chair. If you are angry, beat me but don't disrupt the proceedings," the speaker told the protesting MLAs according to PTI. 

"Please go back to your seats....I am pained. The Chair is not a subject for mockery. Yesterday, you behaved badly...This is the question of the faith of 3.5 crore people and your conduct gives pain," he added.

As as response, BJP MLA CP Singh said though the Business Advisory Committee had decided to take up the employment policy issue, it was changed.

"This is an emotional statement. We are also sad. Speaker is supreme in the assembly but it hurts when we see that your behaviour is not impartial," he told Mahto.

The speaker then asked BJP MLA Bhanu Pratap Shahi to respect Hanuman Chalisa and not to use it for political gains. Mahto said may 'Bajrang Bali' grant wisdom to the agitating MLAs.

At the beginning of the day, BJP MLAs sat on the stairs at the entrance of the assembly and chanted Hanuman Chalisa while Deoghar MLA Narayan Das wore a garland made of 'belpatra'.

The BJP disrupted Monday's proceedings as well, over the allotment of the namaz room.

The Jharkhand Assembly Secretariat issued an order on September 2 stating that room number TW 348 in the state’s new assembly building will be allotted for the Muslims to offer namaz. The BJP is demanding that a temple be built on the premises as well.

Last week, BJP leader C.P. Singh, said, “I am not against namaz room but then they should also build a temple in Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha premises. I even demand that Hanuman Temple should be set up there”.