Bihar ministers and legislators can't chew gutka and khaini (tobacco products) and paan inside the Assembly any more.
Speaker Udai Narayan Choudhary on Thursday banned the use of these products after senior Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former deputy speaker Bhola Singh raised the issue on Thursday in the ongoing Budget session.
Chewing tobacco or paan during debates is "nothing but an insult to the image of the House," he said.
Choudhary urged ministers as well as legislators to abide by the ban.
While the Rashtriya Janata Dal welcomed the ban and said it will abide by it, many ministers objected, saying it was difficult to kick the habit.
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