Bihar BJP Chief Samrat Choudhary addressing a press meet at Miller High School Ground in Patna on January 21, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Opposition BJP and the Janata Dal (United) are at loggerheads over the allocation of Miller High School to celebrate the birth anniversary of Karpoori Thakur — former Chief Minister who hailed from the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) community and was known for championing the cause of the backward classes.
Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary slammed the State government for allotting the ground reserved for the BJP for January 24 to the JD(U), calling it murder of democracy and hooliganism. He threatened that if the ground reserved for the BJP was not given on January 24, then the entire programme would be organised on Beerchand Patel Marg and Karpoori birth anniversary would be celebrated in front of the JD(U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) offices.
Both the ruling and Opposition parties are trying to win the vote bank of EBCs in Bihar which plays a crucial role in forming the government.
The latest caste survey revealed that the EBC is the most populated community in Bihar where Scheduled Castes (SCs) (19.6518%), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) (27.1286%) and EBCs are (36.0148%). Hence, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections of 2024, the ruling party wants to train its focus on this segment to get an electoral advantage.
People’s leader
The JD(U) is celebrating the birth anniversary of socialist stalwart at grand scale across Bihar, popularly known as Jannayak or people’s leader. On January 24, the JD(U) is organising a rally at Patna’s Veterinary College ground but the arrangement for party workers to stay overnight has been made at the Miller High School ground. On the same day, alliance partner RJD is celebrating his birth centenary at Sri Krishna Memorial Hall in Patna.
While addressing a press conference at the Miller High School ground, Mr. Choudhary raised the question and said, “If the government indulges in hooliganism after ruling for 18 years, then what would be a bigger misfortune than this. We know that such things are happening after JD(U) came under the influence of the RJD. Under the influence of Lalu ji, the Bihar Chief Minister is also indulging in hooliganism.”
While showing the papers of booking the ground to the journalists, he further said the JD(U) says that it had applied for reservation of this ground in December, but the BJP had applied on November 1, 2023. He pointed out that No Objection Certificate (NOC) was received and the Education department had directed the District Magistrate Patna to vacate the ground and reserve it for the BJP.
Sharing the development, Mr. Choudhary said that a BJP delegation met Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh on Saturday and requested to vacate the ground.
Mr. Choudhary alleged if there was any leader opposing the late Thakur was Mr. Kumar. He also accused that Mr. Lalu Prasad highjacked Thakur but never promoted his ideology, rather worked to advance himself.
“We are again requesting the JD(U) to vacate this field. They cannot indulge in hooliganism, cannot kill democracy. If this does not happen then on January 24, we will celebrate the anniversary on the road of Beerchand Patel Marg having the offices of both the RJD and the JD(U),” Mr. Choudhary said.
Several attempts to contact the Patna District Magistrate turned futile.