Patna

The Bihar assembly was adjourned till 2 pm on Thursday, minutes after the day's proceedings began, as members of the ruling NDA trooped into the Well blaming the opposition for the violent students' protest in the state capital a day earlier.

Speaker Prem Kumar adjourned the proceedings till lunch, fearing a clash inside the House where BJP members Sanjeev Chaurasia and Vinay Bihari, besides Manjeet Singh of the JD(U), were seen heading menacingly towards the opposition MLAs.

The NDA legislators were heard alleging that "goons, not students" were taking part in the "so-called protests" on Wednesday when at least 22 police personnel also sustained injuries in a day-long pitched battle, which had ended in a final showdown close to the Chief Minister's residence.

Emerging from the House after it was adjourned, opposition MLAs led by Alok Mehta of the RJD told reporters, "The BJP and its allies have not learnt their lessons despite seeing so much public anger. They alleged that the protesters were goons, though their own conduct today befitted ruffians. We had to run for our lives.

However, BJP leader and minister Ram Kripal Yadav maintained, "The Congress-led opposition is trying to plunge the country into anarchy. The diabolical plan was on display in Patna yesterday when anti-social elements, posing as students, clashed with police, roughed up journalists and even manhandled a couple of our fellow MLAs. The government will identify the miscreants and take them to task.

Notably, at least two BJP MLAs, Vinay Bihari and Rohit Pandey, were attacked by the protesters who had spotted them heading for the assembly inside their cars.

Gates of the Vidhan Sabha premises were, thereafter, sealed and legislators, journalists and other staff remained locked inside well after the proceedings had come to an end as those in charge of the security feared that some of the protesters, who were all demanding Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, in solidarity with the agitation underway in Delhi, could storm the building.

Meanwhile, uproarious scenes were also seen inside the legislative council after an adjournment motion moved by RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui was rejected by Chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh.

READ MORE: Syed Abid Husain rescues people stranded in alien countries

Soon, a number of the opposition MLCs rushed into the Well, prompting the chairman to adjourn the proceedings till 2.30 pm.