BJP leaders held for ‘disturbing’ harmony

Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders were arrested on Thursday in Bihar’s Samastipur district on the charge of disturbing communal harmony that resulted in clashes during the Ram Navami procession, police said.

Dinesh Jha and Mohan Patwa were arrested on the basis of a video footage of the incident in Rosera town of Samastipur.

Samastipur superintendent of police (SP) Dipak Ranjan said the two were among the 12 people arrested. Jha is the state level member of farmer cell while Patwa is the district president of commercial cell.

After their arrest, hundreds of workers and supporters of BJP, which is part of the ruling alliance along with the JD (U) held a protest against the police action on Thursday and termed the action “one-sided”. Protestors gherao police station and demanding their release without delay. BJP’s Samastipur district president Ramsumran Singh demanded their release.

Communal tension again gripped Rosera town in Samastipur three days after clashes erupted on Monday night.

More than 60 people, including policemen, were injured and dozens of shops and vehicles were torched. Hundreds of additional security officers, including two battalions of the Rapid Action Force, have been deployed in sensitive areas in Rosera.

Police officers are patrolling the town and Internet services have been suspended to check the spread of rumours.

Reports of communal tension in districts like Bhagalpur, Aurangabad, Munger, Nalanda, Sheikhpura and Jaamui were also received.

The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has attacked chief minister Nitish Kumar for allegedly failing to prevent communal disharmony.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has demanded the arrest of Union Minister Ashwani Choubey’s son Arijit Shashwat for allegedly stoking communal passion in Bhagalpur. Last week, a case was lodged against BJP leader Shashwat for taking out a procession without prior permission, inciting communal sentiments and roaming on the streets with weapons.

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