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In Bihar, BJP slams Nitish govt with lathicharge video. Probe ordered - Tejashwi
A video - shared from a protest site - shows a man being baton-charged. A top official has come under fire for the action.
A video was shared by the Bihar unit of the BJP on Monday to target the Nitish Kumar-Tejashwi Yadav government weeks after the JD(U) leader snapped ties with the party and switched loyalties towards the Mahagathbandhan. The video - which was shot at a protest site - shows a man being baton-charged. The stir was called for seeking jobs.
“Is this government blind, which uses lathis on Tiranga (tricolour)?” the Bihar BJP wrote in its post. “Is this government deaf that those carrying have been given pens.” The strongly-worded post further read: “They are sick.. Want to keep holding the seat of power. When the power is attained, they use support to walk.”
Apparently referring to Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi, the party further said: “For one, it’s leisure. For the other, it’s just enjoyment. But for people, it’s all about helplessness.” A top official has come under fire for the action.
As the video was widely shared on social media, the Bihar deputy CM on Monday evening said an investigation had been ordered into the incident. “The lathi charge was done to control students taking out a protest march in Patna wherein the ADM (assistant district magistrate) was thrashing a STET candidate. A probe committee has been made; strict action will be taken against him, if found guilty," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
“Students are requested to be patient. We are working on solving their issues. We have been fighting for jobs. We have announced on 15th August that 10 lakh jobs will be given,” he further said in an assurance to the students.
Ending a spell of differences, Nitish Kumar earlier this month made an unexpected move of joining forces with Lalu Yadav's RJD, which marked his return to the Mahagathbandhan - or the Grand Alliance - that he had quit in 2017. It also raised speculation that Nitish Kumar may emerge as the opposition's choice for the race for the prime minister's post in 2024. While Nitish has said he is not yet considering any such prospects, Tejashwi on Sunday - in an interview to news agency PTI - said he may be a strong candidate, if considered.
Meanwhile, following his switch, the BJP had launched a relentless attack on him and his deputy. After claiming that Nitish Kumar's JD(U) would see a decay, the party has also been saying that the state is witnessing 'Jungle Raj' with the return of Lalu Yadav's party to power. Tejashwi Yadav has rebuffed these claims.
(With inputs from ANI)
