Patna: A youth was arrested on Thursday after he made an abortive attempt to throw a slipper at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.
The incident occurred during an event in Patna. Nitish Kumar along with other senior party leaders was seated on stage when the youth hurled a slipper towards him. Though the slipper did not reach the stage, party workers thrashed the youth before handing him over to the police.
The youth later identified himself as Chandan Tiwary, a sympathizer of ‘Swarn Sena’ an upper caste group which has been protesting against the reservation policy.
“This was my way of protesting against the reservation policy. Many youths like me are suffering due to unemployment, but this government is only doing politics in the name of reservation and employment. I had met political leaders earlier, but nobody has time for people like me”, Chandan Tiwary said while he was being whisked away by police.
In September the ruling JD (U) had refused to support demands of reservation for upper castes. JD (U) leader R.C.P. Singh in a statement earlier had said that as per the constitutional provisions reservation could only be provided to those who are socially and educationally backwards.
Mr. Singh had however said, “Series of schemes launched by Nitish Kumar government in Bihar is meant for all castes including those from upper caste. Saat Nischay (seven resolves) scheme has also been launched for everyone’s benefit.”
The state has witnessed a string of protests by anti-reservation activists in the last few weeks. Several political leaders including few union ministers have been shown black flags at a number of places in Bihar.
Last week Union minister Smriti Irani was shown black flag by supporters of ‘Swarn Sena’ in Gopalganj district of Bihar. Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi faced a similar situation on last Saturday in Sitamarhi, where he was not only shown black flag, but bla-ck ink was also thrown on the cars in his cavalcade.
