RJD workers attack BJP office in Patna, pressure mounts on Nitish Kumar govt

A day after the Income Tax Department raids on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav’s properties, more than hundred RJD workers attacked BJP’s office in Patna on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_3452260” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] RJD workers attack BJP office in Patna[/caption] The incident took place while the BJP workers were holding state-wide agitation against the Nitish Kumar-led coalition government in which Lalu’s RJD is a partner. The BJP is demanding removal of Lalu’s sons, Tej Pratap and Tejaswi Prasad Yadav, from the Bihar cabinet. While the protests were on at several places, RJD youth wing workers marched towards BJP office on Beerchand Patel Marg. BJP supporters tried to stop them which led to clashes between supporters of both the parties. BJP state president Nityanand Rai claimed that as many as 15 party workers were hurt in the attack. The BJP workers also clashed with the police when they tried to head towards the RJD office in retaliation. Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who has raised a string of corruption charges against Lalu recently, termed this attack as an act of desperation and said if Nitish Kumar remains silent to this gundagardi (hooliganism), then his party would launch state-wide agitation. He will also be meeting the Director General of Police (DGP) and submit a report to him. Police have been deployed near both the party offices. On the other hand, RJD leader Manoj Jha said that party workers were demonstrating peacefully when BJP workers hurled stones at them and in response they retaliated. The I-T Department on Tuesday conducted raids at 22 places in and around Delhi in connection with an alleged benami property case involving Lalu and his family with the Opposition parties pressurising Nitish to end the party’s alliance with RJD.