Even if they file FIRs against us, throw us in jail…”BJP demonstrates outside Bihar Assembly after leader dies in Patna protest

Patna (Bihar) [India], July 14 : BJP workers on Friday staged a protest outside the Bihar Legislative Assembly and observed 'black day' to protest against the death of Vijay Singh, the party's general secretary in Jehanabad district, allegedly due to the lathi charge by the police the day before.

The BJP workers held up placards inscribed with messages and slogans such as 'Murderer Nitish goverment resign', 'Shame on Patna district administration'. 

During the protest, BJP MLA Sanjay Singh was marshalled out of Bihar Assembly.

Speaking at the protest site, Bihar's Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and the BJP's state chief, Samrat Choudhary, said they won't back down even if the Nitish government "were to shoot" them.

"Nitish Kumar wants 'Gundaraj' in Bihar. Even if they file FIRs against us, throw us in jail or open fire at us, our agitation will continue. We have informed and sought permission from the police (for the protest on Friday). We won't back down," Choudhary said.

BJP MP and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is currently leading a BJP fact-finding team in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district to inquire into the violent during the July 8 panchayat elections, condemned the police lathi charge on party workers in Patna while comparing the Bihar CM with his Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee.

"I condemn the attack on BJP workers in Bihar by Nitish Kumar's police force. Nitish Kumar, ever since you became friends with Mamata Banerjee, you seem to have adopted her methods (to crack down on Opposition). You think you can attack us? Beat us?" Prasad said.

The former Union minister claimed several BJP leaders were beaten up by the police on Thursday while a worker was killed in the stampede that took place during the police lathi charge in the Bihar capital.

"Our leaders were beaten up and a worker died in the stampede during the lathi charge. Their limbs were broken," he said.

BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan, too, said several party workers were lathicharged without any provocation. 

"State-sponsored brutality was meted out upon the BJP workers without any provocation. This is similar to the murder of democracy in Bengal," Paswan said.

He further accused the Bihar chief minister of "sitting on the lap of those who jailed Jay Praskash Narayan".

"Nitish Kumar says he is the follower of Jay Praskash Narayan. Jay Prakash Narayan, in his lifetime, always fought for the Constitution and democratic values. Today, Nitish Kumar is sitting on the lap of those who jailed Jay Praskash Narayan," he claimed.

JD(U) leader KC Tyagi, however, claimed that a doctor at AIIMS, Patna said there were no external injury marks on Vijay Singh's mortal remains to suggest that he was beaten by the police.

"According to a doctor at AIIMS Patna, there were no marks on the body (BJP leader Vijay Singh) to suggest that he was beaten with batons. However, this is a matter of investigation," Tyagi said.

The BJP on Thursday alleged that a leader from their party died after sustaining injuires during a police lathi-charge that took place as party workers were marching towards the Bihar Assembly during a massive protest against the Nitish government in the state.

The police allegedly fired tear gas shells and used water cannons to stop party workers from marching to the Bihar Assembly.

BJP workers were holding a protest to press for multiple demands, including amended teachers' recruitment policy.

Taking to Twitter, BJP senior leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who was also a part of the protest, said, “Arrested by Bihar Police in Patna. Jehanabad dist GS Vijay Kumar Singh died in brutal police lathi charge.”

Speaking to ANI, Modi said the BJP will press for a murder charge against the accused police personnel.