Patna: Protests by opposition BJP members rocked Bihar Assembly leading to its adjournment soon after commencement of proceedings on Friday.
A BJP delegation submitted a memorandum to Governor Rajendra Arlekar demanding action against those who are responsible for the death of their party leader, Vijay Singh. The BJP has accused Bihar police of brutally assaulting their leader, who sustained severe injuries and died during treatment in a hospital.
The local administration, on the other hand, has stated that Singh did not go near the spot where police fired tear gas and used water canons to disperse a procession heading towards the Assembly.
When asked about the incident, chief minister Nitish Kumar said "they (ministers) will tell about it". Kumar then boarded his car and left the venue.
Shravan Kumar, a close aide of Kumar said that the incident was unfortunate and it needs to be investigated. He also questioned as to why the BJP workers threw chiily powder at the police when the latter prevented them from crossing the barricades.
The BJP state president and Leader of the Opposition Samrat Chowdhury, however, denied chilly powder being thrown at police. Chowdhury asked what proof the state government has of chilly powder being thrown at police. On the contrary, there was ample proof of their workers being injured in the lathi charge, he added.
Also Read: BJP forms 4-member committee to probe lathi charge on its leaders in Patna
Earlier, Union Home Minister Nityanand Rai accused Nitish Kumar of resorting to a "General Dyer-like brutality" and claimed there was "jungle raj" in Bihar. Meanwhile, BJP has set up a four-member committee to probe into Bihar police's lathi charge on their party workers.
