BJP Accuses Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of Adopting Mamata Banerjee's Methods: Allegations Surrounding Party Worker's Death
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched an attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing him of adopting the methods of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee since their alliance. The BJP alleged that Vijay Kumar Singh, the party's general secretary for Jehanabad's unit, died from injuries sustained during a police lathi-charge amid protests over teacher recruitment policy and other issues. BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned the police action, blaming the stampede and manhandling by the police for the party worker's death.
Prasad criticized Nitish Kumar, stating, "Ever since you became friends with Mamata Banerjee, you have adopted her methods." He expressed condemnation for the incident, emphasizing the demands made by the BJP workers regarding the removal of Tejashwi Yadav, who is facing charges in a scam. Prasad further emphasized that people would respond to these actions.
However, the Patna Senior Superintendent of Police, Rajiv Mishra, denied the BJP's claims, stating that preliminary investigations and scrutiny of CCTV footage revealed that Vijay Kumar Singh was not injured in the police lathi-charge at Dak Bungalow roundabout. The footage showed Singh and two individuals moving in a different area at the time of the incident. Eyewitnesses confirmed that Singh was found lying near an electric transformer, away from the area where the alleged lathi-charge took place. Mishra emphasized that no external injury marks were found on Singh's body and that the cause of his death could only be determined after the post-mortem report.
Furthermore, Mishra also mentioned that 59 people were initially detained in connection with the BJP's protest march but were later released.