SON OF MOS BOOKED FOR ‘INCITING’ CLASHES

BHAGALPUR/ PATNA: Bihar’s Bhagalpur police lodged a case against Arjit Shashwat, son of minister of state (health and family welfare) Ashwini Kumar Choubey, for allegedly inciting workers of right-wing outfits and ‘triggering’ communal clashes in Bhagalpur on Saturday.

Shashwat had led a procession organised by the Bharatiya Navvarsh Jagran Samiti to mark the Hindu New Year.

The march passed through a 15-km route, including at least half-a-dozen Muslim-dominated areas. The clashes erupted in Medini Chowk, a Muslim locality.

Although there were no casualties in the ensuing clashes, several people, including policemen, were injured when the rioters from both the communities resorted to vandalism and brick batting.

Police said two FIRs were lodged in the case. While Shashwat is an accused along with eight others in one, the other FIR names 20 Muslim and Yadav leaders and 500 people for ‘taking law into their hands’.

According to police officials, Shashwat has been booked for taking out a procession without permission and inciting communal sentiment .

“A sub-inspector, Hari Kishore Singh, who witnessed the incident lodged the FIR,” a senior police officer said.

Denying the charges, Shashwat, who unsuccessfully fought the last state polls as a BJP candidate , said their procession came under stone pelting. “You can check video clips of the incident to confirm what I am saying,” he told a local newspaper.

Defending his son, minister Choubey said: “It’s not a crime to say ‘Vande Matram’, ‘Jai Shri Ram’, ‘Jai Hind’. If there was no permission, why didn’t the administration stop the processions before it begun ? The administration is trying to escape its responsibility of punishing the culprits who resorted

› to vandalism and brick batting. It’s not a crime to say ‘Vande Matram’, ‘Jai Shri Ram’, ‘Jai Hind’. If no permission was taken, why didn’t officials stop the march before it began? ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY, Union MoS, while defending his son