New Delhi [India]: Condemning the police lathi-charge on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protesters in Patna on Thursday, Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) chief Pashupati Kumar Paras said “dictatorship should not happen in a democratic system.”
The BJP on Thursday alleged that a party leader died after sustaining injuries during police lathi-charge as party workers were marching to the Bihar Assembly during a massive protest against the Nitish Kumar-led government in the state.
“This is a very sad incident…dictatorship should not happen in a democratic system,” Paras said.
Describing the incident, the RLJP chief said, “BJP workers decided to protest peacefully so that their Ministers can speak in Bihar assembly. They were protesting on three issues- posting of teachers, law and order and chargesheet against Tejashwi Yadav. We demanded that a chargesheeted person cannot be a Minister.”
However, he said that the Bihar police lathi-charged on a peaceful protest as a result of which BJP general secretary of Jehanabad district, Vijay Kumar Singh died.
Paras also alleged that ever since Nitish Kumar government came to power in 2005, lathi-charge has been done on every political demonstration in Bihar.
“People have the right to keep their demands and protest peacefully. The government should have listened to them. This was not done today. I condemn the Bihar government. It is like the British Raj or that of the JP Movement,” he said. The RLJP chief also demanded action on the police officer who ordered the lathi charge.
Launching an attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he said, “At first Nitish Kumar was with BJP, now he has switched over to the RJD. He has an allergy with the BJP.”
Pashupati Kumar Paras also alleged that the incident took place under the direction of the Bihar government. He mentioned that the police lathi-charged on women as well. “There is no government here, no democracy,” he said.
On the demand of resignation of Tejaswi Yadav, the RLJP chief reminded Nitish Kumar what he had done earlier when such allegations of corruption came up while he was with the RJD before.
“When Nitish Kumar was with the RJD before, there was such an incident. He left the gathbandhan then and came over to the BJP. At that time he said that till the time he is in politics, he will never be under the RJD,” Paras said.
Claiming the central government is giving 10 lakh jobs every year, Paras asked, “How many jobs did you (Nitish) give in the last 18 years?”
“If he says he has given jobs then he can complain against others. Bharat Sarkar gives 10 lakh jobs every year. On 5th August we will go to Patna to inaugurate the Rozgar mela,” he added.
