Like many other states across the country, Patna in Bihar also turned into a war zone as the left-wing parties with support from around six Opposition parties in Bihar called for a statewide shutdown on Thursday in protest against the amended Citizenship Act and the proposed country-wide implementation of National Register of Citizens.
As per reports, Anti-CAA rioters took to the streets, resulting in large-scale traffic disruption, arson and vandalism. The rioters vandalised private and commercial vehicles in and around Patna during the bandh. In some districts including Patna, Ara and Darbhanga protesters disrupted rail routes.
Reports stated that workers of Jan Adhikar Party had indulged in vandalism in several areas of Patna. Stone pelting and arson incidents have been reported too.
Supporters of Jan Adhikar Party floated by former MP Pappu Yadav used burnt tyres to stop traffic on the streets adjacent to Rajendra Nagar terminus and also vandalised an ambulance while it was heading towards a residential area in Patna. Many of Yadav’s supporters squatted on the railway tracks to prevent trains from running on time.
बिहार में पप्पू यादव ने बेड़ियां पहन कर किया CAA के खिलाफ प्रदर्शन@rohit_manas की रिपोर्ट
अन्य वीडियो- https://t.co/vvCOYdweRg #ATVideo pic.twitter.com/kZZrKGl0au— आज तक (@aajtak) December 19, 2019
JAP chief Pappu Yadav who had earlier claimed that he was placed under house arrest for extending support to the bandh said that “we have come out on the streets to oppose the Citizenship Act which is against the Constitution. It seems that the entire nation today has been held captive and needs to be released”.
Yadav marched on the streets accompanied by supporters wearing handcuffs and shackles, accusing the government of trying to smother dissent.
Moreover, supporters of the left parties created ruckus after halting a train at Lakhisarai on the Patna Kiul section under the Danapur division of East Central Railway.
According to Railway sources, the Bihar Sampark Kranti Express, which runs between Darbhanga and new Delhi via Hajipur was stranded at Laheriasarai for half an hour by the bandh supporters venting their ire against the CAA and the NRC.
RPF and GRP cops were alerted about the situation and moved to disperse the agitation.
Besides rail services, the bandh supporters had blocked the roads including the NHs across the state resulting into a complete halt of vehicles movements on roads.
The left-wing protestors were joined by members of several Muslim organisations to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
RJD which is the main Opposition party in Bihar didn’t participate in the bandh but provided “moral support” as they said that “the party has decided to organise a separate state-wide agitation against the issue on December 21”.
“We have called a bandh in Bihar on December 21 against the CAA. The act is unconstitutional and against humanity. It has exposed the divisive character of BJP,” RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav told ANI here on Friday.
