Patna, Aug 7 (IANS) Bihar Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday met the State Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar to discuss the state’s law-and-order situation, including the recent firing incident in Siwan in which students were injured.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Tejashwi launched a sharp attack on both the Bihar and Central governments, questioning the circumstances under which AK-47 rifles were allegedly used against the students during the recent students’ protest.
“The people of Bihar, and indeed the entire country, want to know who authorised the use of an AK-47 against protesting students,” the LoP said.
He alleged that accountability could not end with action against lower-ranking personnel and demanded that those responsible for issuing any such orders be identified.
Referring to the Siwan incident, Tejashwi claimed that three students sustained bullet injuries and asked why senior officials had not been held accountable.
He also referred to the Jehanabad incident while expressing concern over the state’s handling of student protests.
Tejashwi alleged that such force had never been used against student protesters in previous demonstrations and questioned what action had been taken after the incident.
He also asked why the Siwan Superintendent of Police (SP) Puran Kumar Jha had not been removed from office.
Targeting the ruling NDA, the RJD leader criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary over what he described as their silence on the issue.
He urged the state government to clarify the circumstances surrounding the firing and fix responsibility for the incident.
The Leader of the Opposition also referred to the alleged manhandling of opposition leaders by the Delhi Police during recent protests in the national capital.
He thanked Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, for raising issues concerning Bihar and appealed to them to visit the state after the conclusion of the ongoing Parliament session to meet those affected by the recent incidents.
Tejashwi said his delegation had submitted its concerns to the DGP regarding both the Siwan incident and the overall law-and-order situation in Bihar.
Alleging that crime was increasing across the state, the RJD leader claimed that Bihar was gradually acquiring the image of a police state.
He also alleged that criminals were operating with impunity and questioned the effectiveness of the police and administration in maintaining law and order.
The Bihar Police had not issued an immediate response to Tejashwi Yadav’s remarks at the time of filing this report.
–IANS
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