The Monsoon Session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly began on Thursday amid heated exchanges over Wednesday's student protest in Patna and the subsequent police lathi-charge and tear-gassing of youngsters protesting over paper leaks across the country.
The issue dominated the House from the outset, with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition trading sharp accusations over the violence that accompanied the demonstration.
Meanwhile, a lighter moment from the protest also went viral on social media. Battling the scorching heat, demonstrators from the All India Students' Association (AISA) jokingly asked police if they had brought tear gas and water cannons.
When officers replied that tear gas was unavailable, the students playfully requested them to use the water cannons instead. As police eventually sprayed water to disperse the crowd, several protesters turned the moment into an impromptu rain dance, cheering and dancing under the high-pressure jets before leaving the spot.
The AISA activists had marched towards Lok Bhavan (Raj Bhavan), demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak and examination irregularities.
Back inside the Assembly, even before the Question Hour commenced, a BJP legislator raised the issue, alleging that those who participated in the protest were not genuine students but politically motivated agitators.
He claimed that he and several other BJP legislators faced a life-threatening attack during the demonstration.
The MLA maintained that while every citizen has the democratic right to protest peacefully, violence and vandalism cannot be justified under any circumstances.
According to him, individuals associated with certain political parties had infiltrated the protest and attempted to disturb law and order under the guise of a student movement.
He further alleged that vehicles belonging to BJP leaders and MLAs were attacked during the protest, arguing that such acts of violence did not reflect the conduct of students.
While acknowledging the students' right to raise legitimate demands, he said attacks on public representatives and damage to public property could not be condoned.
Cabinet Minister Shravan Kumar stated that while protests and the raising of issues are legitimate, the current agitation is not being driven by students themselves but is instead a sponsored affair.
"Protests should be peaceful. In a democracy, everyone has the right to assert their rights and voice their opinions. However, the actions taken by political parties, specifically the RJD and Congress, in Patna on Wednesday are condemnable. The law in Bihar operates independently; this government neither frames anyone nor shields anyone," Kumar said.
The ruling party's allegations triggered strong protests from Opposition members, who questioned the government's handling of the demonstration and condemned the police lathi-charge on students.
Their objections led to noisy scenes inside the House, disrupting proceedings.
As the exchanges grew increasingly heated, Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar intervened and appealed to members from both sides to maintain the dignity and decorum of the House.
The Speaker said that while every legislator had the right to raise matters of public importance, debates should be conducted peacefully to ensure the smooth functioning of the Assembly.
He urged members to present their arguments in an orderly manner rather than resorting to disruptions.
The Patna student protest and the subsequent police action have now emerged as a major political flashpoint in Bihar.
Opposition MLAs arrived at the Assembly complex carrying banners and posters during the Monsoon Session.
In the portico, they raised slogans against the NDA government over the lathi-charge on students.
Chanting slogans such as "Remove BJP, Save Education," the Opposition staged a sit-in protest outside the Assembly complex and demanded the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
"The government has used excessive force against students and attempted to suppress their voice. They have the power. Why are they not investigating it? It is a failure of the government over the paper leak and the lathi-charge on students, which is highly condemnable," senior RJD legislator Alok Mehta said.
