The BJP today demanded health minister Tej Pratap's dismissal saying he was not serious about his job, as he once again did not turn up in the Legislative Council to answer questions pertaining to his department.

Tej is also the minister for environment and forests, and minor water resources.

The BJP legislators were peeved after several questions pertaining to Tej's departments went unanswered in his absence. "This is a serious issue. If the minister is unable to pay attention to his work, he should either resign or chief minister Nitish Kumar should sack him," leader of Opposition Sushil Kumar Modi said.

"Questions related to an important department like health are going unanswered. Once or twice the minister can be absent on days he has to take questions because of illness or unforeseen circumstances. But this is happening regularly. Not coming to the House despite being in Patna is contempt of the House. The state government should discuss the matter."

Several other BJP MLCs, including chief whip Rajnish Kumar, Lal Babu Prasad, Sanjay Mayukh and others supported the demand.

Cooperative department minister Alok Kumar Mehta of the RJD, who is the minister in-charge for Tej's departments in his absence, turned up a bit late and gave a cursory reply to one of the questions.

As the dissatisfied Opposition clamoured for Tej's removal from the cabinet, his mother, former chief minister and MLC Rabri Dev, rose in defence. "If Tej is not present, the minister in-charge takes his questions," Rabri said. "This is in keeping with precedence and the Opposition should not have any problem with it."

Water resources, planning and development minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also called Lallan Singh (JDU) said the cabinet functioned under "collective responsibility" and Opposition should not make an issue of another minister replying to a query.

Sushil said Tej will have to attend the House, else the Opposition would not let the House function. He said he understood Tej was young. "He should be trained properly. We're ready to help. We'll not ask supplementaries, but he should come."