Patna The opposition Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday took out protest march across Bihar state, and burnt effigies of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad and chief minister Nitish Kumar, a day after RJD workers allegedly attacked the BJP office in Patna.
Carrying party flags and placards, angry BJP workers led by Bihar opposition leader Prem Kumar took to the streets of Patna, shouting vociferous slogans against the ruling party leaders.
The march, which began from the party offices in Patna, reached Dak Bungalow square in the heart of the state capital, where the assembled BJP workers burnt effigies of Prasad and Kumar in the presence of police officers.
The local administration had made a heavy deployment of police at the venue to prevent violence.
“We have burnt effigies of the two leaders to protest the attack on our party office by RJD people. We will continue protesting until action is initiated against the accused persons,” declared opposition leader Kumar.
He alleged the chief minister gave full freedom to RJD functionaries to attack the BJP office.
“The RJD people attacked the BJP office at the instance of Lalu Prasad’s minister-sons but instead of initiating action against them, the chief minister left on tour of other state. This amply indicates how the chief minister had granted full freedom to RJD just to continue in power,” alleged Kumar.
The BJP leader further attacked the ruling government for the brutal assault on a Patna High Court lawyer who filed public interest litigation in the court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged benami property owned by RJD chief and his family. As per reports, the lawmaker was not only beaten but his car was also damaged in the attack.
“Bihar has now come in the grip of ‘jungle rule’ [lawlessness] and the chief minister is helpless to contain crime,” Kumar alleged.
On Wednesday, the RJD workers had attacked the office of the main opposition BJP in Patna a day after the Income Tax department sleuths conducted raids at 22 locations in Delhi in connection with alleged benami property deals worth Rs10 billion (Dh565 million) linked to Lalu Prasad.
Some six BJP workers were injured in the attack which also saw the window panes of some 12 cars smashed. According to BJP leaders, the RJD people were armed with batons, rods, empty liquor bottles and stones.
However, the RJD claims the attack was first made by the BJP people. Both sides have registered cases against each other and the police are investigating the matter.
