Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav was detained in Patna on Wednesday while taking out a march over the recent police action during the NEET paper leak protests in Bihar.
Yadav was taken away in a police vehicle near the Income Tax office in Patna, officials said.
SSP Kartikeya K Sharma confirmed that the Leader of the Opposition was detained.
RJD leaders and workers, led by Yadav, the party’s national working president, took out the protest march to the Lok Bhavan from the JP Golambar in Patna.
“The government is pushing the future of students into darkness. Exam papers are getting leaked frequently,” he said while being put inside a police van.
The RJD had called the ‘Lok Bhavan March’ on Wednesday to seek an answer from the government on issues such as use of AK-47 during students’ protest in Siwan, paper leaks, unemployment and problems faced by students and youth. The party had maintained that examination system and law and order situation have collapsed in the state.
RJD MPs, MLAs and senior party leaders participated in the protest march, which began from JP roundabout before heading for Lok Bhavan. A number of RJD activists climped onto the roof of the police vehicle in which RJD national working president Tejashwi Yadav was detained by the police.
During the protest, one of the RJD supporters was seen carrying a dummy AK-47 rifle. Later talking to media persons, Tejashwi said that the agitation would continue till justice was delivered to students and youth. “We will continue our fight till justice is delivered to students,” he asserted.
He further said, “The government is afraid. We are carrying a peaceful march with tricolour on the issue of students. But police used water cannons to stop the youth. But that will not serve their purpose. Police action can not stop people from raising their voice against the government.”
RJD leader alleged that the police used water cannons at the behest of Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary. “All this is happening on the orders of chief minister Samrat Choudhary. Water cannon is not going to make any difference. The public has awakened and is on the streets. Government will have to concede the students’ demand,” he said.
RJD MP from Patliputra Misa Bharti, Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha and RJD MLA Alok Mehta were prominent among other leaders who joined the foot march.
A day earlier, government transferred the SP of Siwan and kept him in waiting for posting at the state police headquarters. The constable, Abhishek Kumar, who opened fire with AK-47 during the protest has already been put under suspension and departmental inquiry initiated against him.
