Several Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supporters and policemen were injured in lathicharge and stone-pelting in Patna on Tuesday (March 23) while they were on way to Bihar Assembly.
Led by the leader of opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, thousands of party men proceeded towards the Vidhan Sabha in protest against the Nitish Kumar government’s move to bring in Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021, deteriorating law and order situation, rampant unemployment, corruption etc.
The clash with police started near Dak Bungalow Roundabout when the police stopped the party men.
The police initially used water-cannon, upon which the RJD supporters retaliated with hurling of stones. Later the police used lathis to disperse the demonstrators.
After the cane-charge Tejashwi sat on dharna in protest against the police action. He alleged that the Nitish Kumar government is doing nothing to solve the day-to-day problems of the people. Criminal incidents are rising, but the police is doing nothing. As if that is not enough, it is enacting a black law to suppress the voices of the people.
Later the police took Tejashwi, his elder brother Tej Pratap and many other party workers into custody.
The new law will give special power to the Bihar Military Police and it can arrest anyone without warrant. This police force would be deployed at the airport, industries, border with Nepal and function on the pattern of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
It needs to be mentioned that the opposition parties are strongly opposing this Bill. The RJD members in the Assembly tore the copies of this Bill on March 19 and protested both outside and inside the House on Tuesday.
However, many retired police officers are of the view that the new Bill, if enacted, may lead to the tussle between the Centre and state agencies. The new police force can be termed as NIA of Bihar.
A police officer on condition of anonymity told the media that the chief minister is citing the example of Nepal border to buttress his argument that there is need for such a police force, when the fact is that the Sashastra Seema Bal, a central paramilitary force, is already deployed on the international border with the state. There exists a fear of conflict between the two police forces, which may lead to confusion, he added.
