Bihar assembly sees protest over remarks on Smriti Irani

Patna, March 17 (IANS) Legislators of the opposition BJP on Tuesday created a ruckus in the Bihar assembly after an RJD lawmaker said union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani was just "matric (Class 10) pass".

Angry over Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Akhtarul Islam Shaheen's statement that Irani was a "mere matric pass", Bharatiya Janata Party legislators including Leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav gathered near the speaker's podium and shouted slogans.

"It was a deliberate attempt by the RJD member to make such a statement that was not connected with any discussion or debate," Yadav said.

Some BJP legislators also tried to uproot microphones.

Later, RJD legislature party leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui expressed regret over any such remark made by his party member.

Earlier, as soon as the assembly proceedings began, BJP members created a ruckus over the hike in electricity charges by 15 paise per unit in urban areas and 10 paise per unit in rural areas and asked the government to immediately roll back its decision.