BJP delegation to meet governor amid showdown with Bihar government

A delegation of the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders was due to meet governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Friday over the use of force to break a march of the party to the state legislature that left one person dead and several injured a day earlier. A BJP leader said a central team of the party will also visit Patna amid the escalating showdown with chief minister Nitish Kumar’s government.

BJP state chief Samrat Choudhary called the use of force unprecedented and unprovoked. “There is video footage about how police resorted to above waist lathi charge even on MPs [members of Parliament] and MLAs [members of assembly] despite knowing their identity.”

He said a government that patronises “crime and corruption” cannot intimidate the BJP. “We are exploring more options.” He said a first information report will also be lodged against Kumar, who holds the home portfolio.

Choudhary said Kumar has lost control of the situation and was using his officers to defend him. “...a large number of BJP legislators and leaders, including women, have sustained injuries. The death of our leader due to the lathi charge is being painted as normal. There could be nothing more shameful.”

He vowed to intensify the agitation and said the BJP will observe a “black day” across the state followed by sit-ins at the district and block levels on Saturday.

Opposition leader Vijay Kumar Sinha said the BJP will continue to raise issues of crime, corruption, and jobs in the House and on the streets and apprise Arlekar about the prevailing situation.

“The Speaker is blatantly partisan in the House. I was also a Speaker and I was accused by my own party men of giving more opportunity to RJD [Rashtriya Janata Dal] to speak. Mikes of Opposition lawmakers are switched off and are not allowed to speak even on burning issues.”

He asked if Kumar could seek the resignations of half a dozen ministers on corruption charges, why is he protecting his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, who has been charge-sheeted. “The BJP will continue raising it.”

Ruling Janata Dal (United) spokesman Neeraj Kumar hit back at the BJP accusing it of not taking proper care of its worker who fell “sick” on Thursday before dying. He said the worker was first taken to a hospital a BJP leader owns and from there he was referred to Patna Medical College. “In the House, the BJP should be ready to answer.”