Congress protests Pappu Yadav’s arrest, burns Nitish Kumar’s effigy in Patna

The Congress on Sunday organised a protest in Patna against the arrest of Independent Lok Sabha MP Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, accusing the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar of targeting political opponents through “selective action”.

Congress workers gathered outside the party’s State headquarters, Sadaqat Ashram, where they raised slogans against the State government and burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Protesters alleged that the arrest was politically motivated and aimed at silencing voices critical of the government.

Yadav, who represents the Purnea Lok Sabha constituency, was arrested late on Friday night from his residence in Mandiri in connection with a forgery case dating back to 1995. The case has been registered under Section 467 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with forgery of valuable security, wills and other important documents.

He was produced before a court in Patna on Saturday, which remanded him to two days of judicial custody. However, officials said that owing to his ill health, the MP would remain admitted at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) until the next hearing scheduled for Monday.

Addressing the demonstration, Congress worker Premchand Singh alleged that the State government was “failing to provide justice” on issues concerning public safety, while acting swiftly against leaders who spoke out. “Instead of addressing crimes and governance failures, the government is jailing those who raise their voices,” he said, accusing the NDA of pursuing a policy of political vendetta.

Another Congress worker, Arti Rai, demanded Mr. Yadav’s immediate release, describing him as a leader with a strong grassroots connect in Bihar. “He is a mass leader who speaks for ordinary people. The way he has been treated by the government is unfair,” she said.

Earlier in the day, Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav also criticised the State government over the arrest. “Dictatorship has been established in the State. While criminals are going scot-free, the non-guilty are being trapped,” he told reporters, alleging misuse of the administrative machinery.

The Congress maintained that reviving an old case to arrest a sitting MP raised serious questions about the timing and intent of the action. Party leaders said they would continue their protests if Mr. Yadav was not released.

The Bihar government has not issued a detailed response to the allegations so far, while officials have maintained that the arrest followed due legal process and was based on court proceedings related to the case.