PATNA: Uproar over Agnipath by the opposition caused adjournment of the Bihar assembly within minutes of commencement of proceedings on the final day of the monsoon session on Thursday.
Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hazari made fervent pleas for cooperation, pointing out that this was "the first occasion during the current session" when he was in the Chair.
However, opposition MLAs remained unpacified and continued shouting slogans seeking a rollback of the new scheme of recruitment in armed forces and withdrawal of cases lodged against those who took part in the subsequent protests across Bihar.
As the slogans veered from "Agnipath is a scheme, must be withdrawn" towards "down with Prime Minister", Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishor Prasad, who is also the BJP's leader in the House, rose in his chair to express objection.
With no signs of a let-up in the commotion, Hazari adjourned the proceedings till lunch.
The RJD and its Left allies has declared that it will not allow the House to run until a discussion was held on the scheme, a demand that has been rejected by Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha on the ground that it fell outside the purview of the state assembly.
The Congress, which now does not consider itself a part of the opposition Grand Alliance, has been holding protests separately.
Its MLAs, including CLP leader Ajeet Sharma and AICC secretary Shakil Ahmed Khan staged a demonstration outside the assembly holding placards before the commencement of the proceedings.