‘BJP killing democracy in Bihar’: Opposition parties condemn roughing up of MLAs by police

A day after MLAs belonging to Opposition parties were thrashed and lathi-charged inside Bihar Assembly, the parties slammed the Nitish Kumar led-NDA government for “killing democracy in Bihar”.

Led by the Congress, as many as 11 Opposition parties issued a joint statement on Wednesday in which they decried the government for “bringing Police Raj in Bihar”.

Several MLAs, policemen, RJD and Congress leaders along with some media personnel were injured when the police resorted to a baton charge on Tuesday.

Led by RJD’s Tejashvi Yadav, the Opposition leaders were protesting against the tabling of the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021 which confers unbridled powers upon Bihar Military Police to conduct raids and arrests without warrants. They were also protesting against the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, corruption, unemployment and price hike of essential commodities.

The Bill was pushed through the House by the BJP-JD(U) government.

“This is an unconstitutional Bill that effectively transforms the police force into an armed militia to harass, suppress and crack down on academics, activists, journalists, the political opposition and all those who dare to speak truth to power. It is an insidious conspiracy to enforce a Police Raj in Bihar and portends what the BJP intends to do throughout India employing the sheer tyranny of power,” reads the statement issued by the Opposition parties.

Condemning the lathi charge and “black bill”, the Opposition parties said, “Rather than addressing their legitimate pro-people concerns, these MLAs were ruthlessly beaten and forcefully ejected from the assembly.”

“Incident in Bihar Assembly is condemnable. I have never seen police beating women MLAs. BJP is killing democracy. If this is happening with elected leaders, then what about the law and order situation in the state?” said senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge outside the Parliament.

“They (BJP & JDU) talk about democracy but passed the Bill. We know they will misuse it. Today ED, CBI, I-T are being misused at the Centre; the same misuse will happen in Bihar and create problems in future,” added Kharge while talking to the media about the Bill.