A Bihar minister's comments on the death of armymen hailing from the state at the LoC in Poonch sparked off protests by opposition who today demanded his immediate removal.

Bihar Rural Works and Panchayati Raj Minister Bhim Singh said "People join army or police for sahadat (martyrdom)," to questions by journalists about the absence of JD(U) ministers to receive the bodies of the four jawans flown in by special Air Force plane late last night at the Jai Prakash Narayan airport.