In a dramatic turn of events in Patna on Monday, Bihar Police arrested several senior leaders and activists of the Jan Suraaj Party, including State President Manoj Bharti, Vice President Lalanji, and former MLA Kishore Kumar, during a protest held outside Health Minister Mangal Pandey’s residence.
The protest, which began as a peaceful demonstration, quickly escalated as dozens of party workers and citizens raised slogans against the minister, accusing him of rampant corruption and failing to protect women and children in the state.
A protester shouted, “Mangal Pandey is the most corrupt Health Minister of Bihar; he is Nitish Kumar’s extortion minister. Daughters of Dalits, the poor, and the backward are being raped, but the government remains silent.” The demonstrators were demanding accountability and justice in the wake of several recent crimes, including the rape of a nine-year-old girl, which they say has been met with apathy from authorities.
Another protester expressed outrage at the police handling of the protest: “The way the administration has behaved with women is unacceptable. When it comes to catching criminals, they fail. But when women demand justice, male officers beat and drag them.”
Eyewitnesses reported that the police used force to disperse the crowd, including pushing, baton charges, and detaining several women protesters. Videos circulating on social media showed chaotic scenes of protestors being dragged away while raising slogans against the state government.
