Patna: Controversy erupted over the ‘death’ of a Bihar BJP leader during the party’s march towards the state assembly on Thursday. The saffron party alleged that its Jehanabad district general secretary died of injuries sustained in a “brutal” lathicharge by the police, prompting the local administration to issue a quick rebuttal. In a statement, the Patna district administration said Vijay Kumar Singh, a resident of Jehanabad district, was “found unconscious by the roadside”. “No injury marks were found,” the statement said, adding that Singh was taken to PMCH, the state’s largest government hospital.
Nonetheless, rumors spread that Singh, who was here to join the “Assembly March” against the teacher recruitment policy of the Nitish Kumar government, had died.
Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi tweeted, “GS Vijay Kumar Singh, arrested by Bihar Police in Patna, Jehanabad district, died in brutal police lathicharge.”
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Arrested by Bihar Police in Patna. GS Vijay Kumar Singh of Jehanabad district died in brutal police lathicharge.@Year @ABP News @News18Bihar @ABP News @aajtak– Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) 13 July 2023
Condemning the incident, BJP chief JP Nadda said on Twitter, “The lathicharge on BJP workers in Patna is a result of the failure and inefficiency of the state government.”
Nadda tweeted in Hindi, “Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government is attacking democracy to protect the citadel of corruption. Bihar CM has forgotten his morals to save a person facing charges.”
The lathi charge on BJP workers in Patna is the result of the failure and indignation of the state government. The Grand Alliance government is attacking democracy to save the citadel of corruption. To save the person who has been chargesheeted, the Chief Minister of Bihar has even forgotten his morality. Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) 13 July 2023
clash in patna
Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse thousands of BJP workers, including senior leaders, who were trying to march towards the Bihar Assembly to protest against the teacher recruitment policy of the Nitish Kumar government.
Before the march began at the historic Gandhi Maidan, state BJP president Samrat Chowdhary told reporters that opposition parties were blaming the government, especially Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who had promised “10 lakh jobs”.
#Watch , Patna: Security personnel used water cannon and lathi-charged to disperse BJP workers who were protesting against the Bihar government over the issue of teachers’ appointments in the state. pic.twitter.com/Vxp010wYDo— ANI (@ANI) 13 July 2023
Referring to the 2020 assembly election campaign of the young RJD leader, Chowdhary said, “Everyone knows who made this statement. Only one person did it. Now the time has come to complete it.” With the exit of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from the NDA, BJP lost power.
BJP workers, many of them dressed in saffron kurtas, sarees, salwar suits and bandanas, walked waving party flags, while some sat on “prachar raths” (campaign vehicles).
Slogans like “Nitish Tejashwi istifaa do” (Nitish Kumar should resign) rang in the air as the procession covered a distance of about a kilometer till it faced barricades put up at Dak Bungalow intersection.
Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Rajeev Mishra said earlier, “We have deployed additional forces at all sensitive points and barricades and where necessary, traffic has been diverted to alternate routes.” Notably, the Dak Bungalow crossing is located about two kilometers from the assembly and, normally, processions are not allowed beyond this point.
When some of the agitators tried to cross the barricade, the police used force and fired tear gas shells besides water cannons, infuriating the BJP workers. The opposition party has sought to extend its support to teaching job aspirants who are angry with the “no domicile” policy of recruitment, among other things.
However, the government has made it clear that the policy will continue given that any state which has sought to reserve seats for its residents is not able to face judicial scrutiny.
The opposition party is also supporting the demand of “employed” (non-commissioned) teachers to be recognized and has alleged that leaves of teaching staff have been canceled to ensure that they do not join the agitation. Be
Apart from canceling all holidays and ordering “100 per cent attendance” in schools on that day, the education department has asked the district administration in Patna to “identify” teachers who took part in the recent street protests Was.