The BJP sponsored ‘Bihar Bandh’ on Tuesday was marred by sporadic violence as workers of both BJP and JD(U) clashed in the State. Cadres of both parties attacked each other at Beerchand Patel Marg, which houses offices of various political parties. More than 4,000 people were taken into custody throughout the State, nearly 800 in Patna alone, informed ADG (law & Order), HK Bhardwaj.
Senior BJP leaders — Shahnawaz Hussain, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Ravi Shankar Prasad, CP Thakur, Sushil Kumar Modi and Mangal Pandey courted arrest at Dak Bunglow Roundabout in Patna. The BJP had called the bandh to protest against Chief Minsiter Nitish Kumar’s decision to snap ties with BJP.
The BJP workers also disrupted train movement at some places though the party had exempted train services, movement of small vehicles and emergency services from the bandh.
BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy compared Nitish Kumar with RJD chief lalu Prasad, stating that they were like the two sides of the same coin. He alleged that it was the Chief Minister who instigated his party workers to take on BJP workers in such a violent manner.
‘NaMo NaMo’ chants also rent the air in Patna as BJP leaders and workers made their intentions clear that they would continue to target the State Government with all force under their command in the coming days.
State BJP president Mangal Pandey said that since JD(U) has imported its leaders from RJD, the “lalu culture” continues to dominate the psyche of JD(U) leaders.
Workers belonging to the Minority Front and Women Front of State BJP were also allegedly attacked by the JD(U) workers in Patna, BJP leaders said.
later in the day, Sushil Kumar Modi told the media that ‘Bihar Bandh’ evoked spontaneous and unprecedented response from the people throughout the State, showing how people are angry with Nitish Kumar`s decision to snap ties with BJP. He said that JD (U) workers were supporting their BJP counterparts in enforcing “bandh” in Nalanda district, the home district of the Chief Minister.
He said anti-Nitish mood was sweeping throughout the State as people were closely watching how Nitish Kumar was ready to sit in the lap of the Congress after lalu did the same.
“Nitish Kumar has always done anti-Congress politics, but now he is taking the support of the same party for saving his Government,” he said.. BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain alleged that Nitish Kumar cheated the NDA, which made him Railway Minister and Chief Minister.
“Nitish Kumar invited Congresspersons to his official residence for relishing feasts and even went up to the gate of State Congress headquarters to drop Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram during his visit to Patna recently,” he pointed out.