A policeman chases an RJD worker in Patna Wednesday. PTI A policeman chases an RJD worker in Patna Wednesday. PTI

Over half a dozen BJP workers were injured in stone-throwing by more than 100 workers of RJD’s youth wing at the BJP’s office at Bir Chand Patel Path in Patna on Wednesday. The RJD youth wing workers were protesting the Income Tax raids at party chief Lalu Prasad’s premises in Delhi and Haryana on Tuesday.

While the BJP said the incident reflected “the RJD culture”, the RJD alleged that its youth wing workers could have been provoked by the BJP workers. An FIR has been lodged against unidentified RJD workers. The RJD, on its part, has filed a counter FIR. The incident took place around 11 am on Wednesday when about 100 workers of the RJD’s youth wing started a protest march from their party office, barely 350 m from the BJP office. Many of them were bare-chested and carrying lathis. On reaching the BJP office, they started raising slogans against PM Narendra Modi and BJP leader Sushil Modi. This provoked the BJP workers and some of them responded by shouting “Lalu Yadav murdabad”, triggering a clash.

As the RJD workers were larger in number, the BJP workers had to retreat for cover. The RJD youth wing members started throwing stones at the BJP office. They also damaged vehicles parked outside the office. The stone throwing continued for about 10 minutes before police were able to control the situation. The injured were hospitalised and discharged later.

BJP office secretary Lalit Yadav, on the basis of whose statement the FIR was lodged, said: “As we tried to come out of the office, the police stopped us. Police did not do anything to stop the RJD workers.”

Patna City SP Chandan Kushwaha said they were trying to identify people who engaged in a scuffle with the policemen.

Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai said: “What happened reflected the RJD culture. This is nothing but a criminal mindset.”

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, BJP legislature party leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, “Nitishji ko Lalu ka saath pasand hai (Nitish Kumar likes the company of Lalu Prasad)…. He would not severe ties with RJD under any condition. The attack at our office happened in front of police, but they remained mute spectators.”

RJD spokesperson Manoj Jha said, “The youth wing members could have been provoked by the BJP workers.”

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “All legal processes would be completed. Such action (of the RJD workers) does not have sanction in politics.”

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