Chaos in Bihar Assembly: Cops Detain Tejashwi Yadav; Thrash MLAs
Chaos unfolded in the Bihar Assembly amid Opposition-led protest against the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021.
advertisement
The Bihar Police, on Tuesday, 23 March, detained Leader of Opposition RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and his brother Tej Pratap Yadav, as chaos unfolded in and outside the Bihar Assembly, amid Opposition-led protest against the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021.
Visuals have also emerged of opposition MLAs being thrashed by the police.
The contentious bill purportedly seeks to arm the Bihar Military Police, rename, and empower the force to arrest people without a warrant.
Tejashwi Yadav, as per ANI, later on Tuesday evening said:
As per IANS, stones were pelted by RJD workers outside the Bihar Assembly, and the police unleashed water canons on them.
Visuals Show MLAs Thrashed
‘Unprecedented turmoil’ is reported to have ensued in the House, causing the Assembly to be adjourned as many as five times during the day, as the Opposition members protested the police bill, dubbed ‘black law’ .
Outside the Assembly premise, meanwhile, emphatic protest ensued. Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap were arrested amid protest, but were subsequently released, and back in the Assembly when it reassembled at 3 pm.
Visuals have, since emerged, of police and other administrative officials thrashing, manhandling and physically dragging RJD MLAs.
Tweeting a video of MLAs being attacked by the police, Tejashwi Yadav wrote:
“The man wearing the blue shirt is the DM of Patna who is pushing the honourable MLA. Two honourable MLAs are being dragged and an officer of the administration is kicking the MLA with his shoe.
Nitish Kumar is getting this misdeed done on Lohia Jayanti. Neither are roads safe, nor is the Parliament.”
Yadav also took to Twitter to say:
“Honourable MLAs are lathi-charged inside the House,
unemployed youth is lathi-charged on the street outside.
Nitish Kumar has become a victim of moral bankruptcy after becoming a third grade leader of a third grade party.”
What Happened in the Assembly?
Chaos is reported to have ensued, with Opposition leaders banging tables and chairs and trooping into the well, while the bill was being debated.
As per PTI, police personnel, clad in riot gear also reached the premises, and even physically evicted many MLAs who were squatting and stubbornly refusing to let the Speaker come out of his chamber.
Meanwhile, leaders of the government in power also were reported to be agitated, with JDU’s Ashok Choudhury rushing to the well, urging his fellow JD(U) legislators to follow suit, and reportedly shoving an RJD MLA who consequently fell on the ground.
Background
Earlier in the morning Tejashwi Yadav had taken to Twitter to share a couplet by Ram Manohar Lohia.
He had also announced that having taken inspiration from Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, on Tuesday, the occasion of Ram Manohar Lohia’s birth anniversary, they will mark Shaheed Diwas by taking to the streets of Patna, so that “the Nitish Kumar government does not ruin the youth of Bihar”.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)