PATNA: Opposition RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had to cancel a programme of fasting under the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Patna's historic Gandhi Maidan on August 25 after he was denied permission by the Bihar government.
The RJD leader had planned to sit on a day-long fast along with his party colleagues at Gandhi Maidan in protest against the rising atrocities against women in Bihar. RJD leaders said the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government denied permission, saying the Gandhi Maidan venue can be used for public meetings and no fasting programmes.
"The government's attitude shows how insecure it feels in the face of rising protests against the numerous incidents of violence women. Our programme was denied permission arbitrarily out of political motives," claimed RJD spokesperson and MLA Ramanuj Prasad.
Determined to keep up the pressure on the government, the RJD party now plans to hold protests at the block level across the state. RJD state president Ram Chandra Purve said the party leaders and activists would inform the people about how the government had failed to ensure women's safety.
Meanwhile, after Tejashwi's attacks on the government over the Bihiya atrocity, the ruling JD(U) on Wednesday said several RJD leaders were involved in the incident in which a woman was beaten up and paraded naked on Monday.
"RJD is busy attacking the government on the Bihiya incident, but several of its leaders had orchestrated that shameful incident. It was Kaushal Kishore Yadav, an RJD leader, who had played a major role in that incident," said JD(U) spokesperson Sanjay Singh.
Accusing Tejashwi of trying to malign the image of Bihar and CM Nitish Kumar, another JD(U) spokesperson Ajay Alok said the people of Bihar and the country are not going to be fooled by his desperate efforts. "They know the truth about RJD leaders."