Bihar: BJP leader booked in clash over event on JNU row

Muzaffarpur/Patna, March 14: A state-level BJP leader has been booked in connection with a clash between ABVP and CPI-ML workers over an event on the JNU row at Muzaffarpur even as the issue was today raised in the Bihar Legislative Assembly.

An FIR was registered at Mithanpura police station in Muzaffarpur late last night based on a report by Block Development Officer Mohammad Zaffaruddin on the incident yesterday in which at least four persons were injured.

Mithanpura Station House Officer Kiran Kumar said besides naming the vice president of the state BJP cultural wing, Chandra Kishore Prashar, 200 other unknown persons have been mentioned in the FIR registered over the clash, which saw stone pelting and use of staffs.

Senior Superintendent of Police RK Mishra said video footage of the incident is being studied to identify those involved in the clash.

At least four persons were injured in the clash between ABVP and CPI(ML) in front of the municipal corporation auditorium at Muzaffarpur where a programme in connection with the row at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was organised by people associated with CPI-ML.

ABVP workers are alleged to have objected to the holding of the programme, 'Main JNU Bol Raha Hoon', leading to the clash. Kavita Krishnan, politburo member of CPI-ML (Liberation), former JNUSU President Ashutosh Kumar and Subodh Kumar Malakar, a JNU professor who is also the PhD supervisor to JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, among others, were among those attending the programme.

The matter was, meanwhile, raised in the Legislative Assembly today during Zero hour by CPI-ML MLA Sudama Prasad who demanded stern action against right-wing workers for attacking Krishnan and others over the programme.

Congress MLA Shakeel Ahmad Khan, who is also a former president of JNUSU, voiced concern over the incident and sought a debate on what he described as efforts by certain sections to promote "intolerance" in the country.

PTI