Patna: NDA allies staged a protest here today targeting the Nitish Kumar dispensation over allegedly soaring crime graph in the state and increasing of VAT by the government.
Leader of Opposition in Bihar Legislative Assembly Prem Kumar (BJP) sat on a 24-hour hunger strike outside the BJP headquarters here against the state government.
Accompanied by senior state party leaders Sushil Kumar Modi, Nand Kishore Yadav and Bihar BJP chief Mangal Pandey, Prem alleged that crime has reached its “maximum point” in the state and extortion, bank dacoity, loot, and burglary have become “the order of the day”.
Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi and legislature party leader of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) Lallan Paswan also sat with the BJP in a show of solidarity.
They also opposed the increase of VAT by the state government on goods, saying it would create difficulty for the common man.
BJP also demanded to increase reservation for SC, ST and Extremely Backward Class (EBC) candidates in the coming election to local bodies.
Sushil Kumar Modi told reporters that nobody had thought the crime graph would “soar” in the state within two months of formation of the new government.
He hit out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying, “When Bihar is burning Kumar is touring Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to unite parties against the BJP.”
Attacking the government on the law and order situation, Manjhi said, “Today’s condition is even worse than (what is was in) the jungle raj during the RJD rule in the state.”
Senior JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak hit back at the BJP and said, “While we believe in working for the welfare of the poor, their (BJP’s) priority is ‘nautanki’ (theatrics).
PTI