Patna: Opposition and Dalit MLAs cutting across party lines made a pre-determined bid on Monday not to allow the House to function, but the government still proceeded with its business in the second half.

The moment Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary called the House to order, RJD MLAs entered the Well. "We were waiting for you to call the house to order, Sir," joked Maner RJD MLA Bhai Birendra.

JDU MLA Shyam Rajak said the rights of Dalits are under threat, and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said: "If the community for whom we do politics and our work is feeling threatened, how can we allow the House to function?"

It drew strong resistance from parliamentary affairs minister Shravan Kumar, who said the Opposition should first sit in their seats and then speak. Speaker Chaudhary appealed to the members in the first half to let the House function but had to adjourn it as the sloganeering continued.

In the second half, the government passed the bill enabling the University Service Commission to recruit college teachers, in 15 minutes without discussion. As the House adjourned, 41 legislators - in a show of unity among Dalit MLAs - held hands outside the Assembly building.

The RJD MLAs later marched to Dakbungalow roundabout with leader of Opposition Tejashwi while the BJP, JDU, Congress and Independent legislators marched to Raj Bhavan to submit a memorandum to Governor Satya Pal Malik.

It demanded the SC/ST Atrocities Act to be put on Schedule 9 of the Constitution.

"The Governor said he was concerned over the issue and stated that he would raise the matter in the governors' meet later this month," said JDU MLA Shyam Rajak.

Once outside the House, RJD members questioned the Speaker's decision to allow Rajak to speak first, especially after they moved an adjournment motion. "There was a deliberate attempt by the JDU to hijack the issue by allowing its member to speak first," charged a RJD MLA outside the House.

The matter had, however, brought all the MLAs together. According to informed sources, the NDA had asked its Dalit ministers not to participate in the march to Raj Bhavan but housing minister Maheshwar Hazari participated in it.