I tore the bill because it was bad: Rajniti Prasad

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Justifying his act of tearing a copy of the Lokpal bill in the Rajya Sabha, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) member Rajniti Prasad on Friday said it was a 'bad' piece of legislation and he did what was right.

"I tore the bill as it was a bad bill and against parliamentarians. We were passing a bill that is against us only," he told a TV channel.

Prasad said it was a spontaneous action and he had said earlier during his speech in the Rajya Sabha that the RJD would not let the house pass the bill in its present form.

"I did what was right. We were ready to sit overnight to discuss the bill but the government decided to avoid (it)," he said.

In an action that stunned his fellow MPs and those watching the debate on television, Prasad on Thursday night tore a copy of the Lokpal bill after snatching it from Minister of State for Personnel V. Narayanasamy.

Prasad suddenly charged towards the minister's seat when he had begun speaking in reply to the daylong debate on the Lokpal bill, ignoring the directions of Chairman Hamid Ansari to return to his seat. As the minister looked on, the MP tore the document and flung it to the ground.