Tejashwi Yadav absent in Assembly for second day

Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav did not attend the monsoon session of Bihar Assembly on Monday for the second consecutive day.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sanjay Sarawagi asked the RJD MLAs in the house about the absence of the latter's leader.

The monsoon session started on Friday and opposition raised questions on Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) related deaths in the state. Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filed their responses on the issue.

RJD leaders raised slogans and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Mangal Pandey over the deaths in Muzaffarpur. So far, as many as 154 children have lost their lives in the district.

Health Minister Pandey dismissed the criticism against the government on the issue. "Till June 28, 720 were admitted, 586 were cured and 154 children died. The death rate has been brought down to 21 per cent. As compared to the data from 2011-19, the death rate due to AES has come down over the past few years."