Union Minister Amit Shah’s Sasaram visit in Rohtas district has been cancelled following the imposition of 144 in the area claimed by BJP state president Samrat Choudhary following the communal tension on March 31, 2023 during the Ram Navmi procession.
BJP state unit president Samrat Choudhary shared this information regarding the cancellation of Sasaram’s visit where the party has organised a grand programme to mark the birth anniversary of Samrat Ashok. However, Mr. Shah’s visit to Nawada stands as it is on April 2. Mr. Choudhary blamed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for deteriorating law and order in the state.
“Nitish Kumar ji cannot run the state any more. It is not only Sasaram, even Biharsharif of Nalanda district is in the grip of communal tension. It is very unfortunate that Nalanda is the home district of the Chief Minister where chaos has taken place. In Sasaram there was a visit of Amit Shah ji tomorrow however due to imposition of section 144 , the party leadership has decided to cancel Amit Shah ji visit but he will visit Nawada on April 2,” Mr. Choudhary said at the party office.
Mr. Choudhary claimed that Rohtas district administration did not carry flag march in the affected area till last night.
Terming the communal tension unfortunate, Mr. Choudhary said, “The Bihar government is sleeping and doing nothing over the issue. With a heavy heart I have to announce the cancellation of Amit Shah ji visit to Sasaram. The law and order in the state has collapsed and is deteriorating every passing day. By imposing section 144, the government of chief minister Nitish Kumar has given a message that he will not allow anyone to hold their programme in the state.”
Chief Nitish Nitish Kumar on other hand issued a probe order with regard to communal tension and asked to punish those responsible for chaos.
“As soon as I came to know about the Sasaram and Nalanda issue, I issued the instruction to investigate the entire matter properly because such things never used to happen in my state. This is not a natural incident and someone has done it intentionally,” Mr. Kumar said at the sidelines of a programme organized on the occasion of 75th year of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).
Asked about Mr. Shah cancelling his Sasaram visit due to security reasons, Mr. Kumar said, “I don’t know about it. If any central ministers come to Bihar, we provide proper security to them. Raising a finger on law and order is not good. We perform our responsibilities whenever central ministers come to Bihar. His visit was not a government programme. There must be some other reasons for cancelling it. We take care of everyone. Why he was coming to Bihar only he knows and why he has cancelled it that also he knows.”
Mr. Kumar also stressed that communal tension is not the issue related to law and order and someone has done it intentionally.
Internet services have been suspended in several districts of Bihar including Rohtas and Nalanda. In Sasaram 18 people have been arrested whereas in Nalanda 27.
However, while speaking to The Hindu, Rohtas district magistrate Dharmendra Kumar said that section 144 of CrPc was never imposed in Sasaram where Mr. Shah was scheduled to visit on April 2.
“I don’t know from where the news spread with regard to the imposition of section 144 of CrPC which falls under the jurisdiction of district magistrate. Without the signature of the DM, section 144 can never be imposed. I never ordered the imposition of section 144,” Mr. Kumar said.
Asked about the present situation in Sasaram, Mr. Singh further said, “If you look from the media point of view then you will get the picture as if big violence has taken place but on ground everything is under control and people are living normal life. Normalcy has returned in Sasaram except the suspension of internet services which would be restored tomorrow.”
Meanwhile a BJP delegation led by party state president Samrat Choudhary met Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum with regard to deteriorating law and order in the state urging him to intervene.
Published - April 01, 2023 12:28 pm IST
