Bihar witnessed an almost unprecedented violent backlash following the rollout of the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, which only had its parallel during the anti-reservation movement in the 1990s when the state and the rest of the country burnt for weeks.
Youths resorted to torching trains, and railway stations, and vandalising public properties without any hindrance, giving rise to questions on why Bihar police didn’t act adequately against the rioters on time.
Authorities filed 159 FIRs and arrested more than 877 persons, who either participated in the violence or instigated it, but it came as too little and too late.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from the state questioned the government: why were the police instructed not to act and arrest the rioters?
State BJP chief Dr Sanjay Jaiswal was the first person to raise this after several party offices in the state were set on fire despite the huge presence of police personnel. His own house in West Champaran (Bettiah) was also targeted by dozens of miscreants, who were presumably not the “aspirants”.
“Had the police been active, large-scale violence would not have been possible,” said Jaiswal.
Damage to the BJP offices was so much that paramilitary forces had to be deployed for protection.
BJP’s Madhepura office was burnt in the presence of hundreds of policemen. This also infuriated the party’s top state leaders.
Two deputy chief ministers, Tarkishor Prasad and Renu Devi, who represent the BJP in the government, bore the brunt of the mob fury.
Several other firebrand MLAs and MPs were given Y-category security cover by the Centre, signalling that it perhaps didn’t have enough faith in Bihar police anymore.
What may be the cause of consternation between the ruling BJP and JD(U) is growing disquiet over the issue of the ‘Agnipath’ protests as law and order is a state subject and directly under the command of chief minister Nitish Kumar.
JD ((U) chief Rajeev Ranjan, aka Lalan Singh, was quick to rebuke his counterpart by saying that the decision to implement the Agnipath scheme was taken by the central government and the youth reacted accordingly. The Centre must allay the fear of the youths first. Why is the BJP blaming the administration? Chief minister Nitish Kumar is capable of handling the state very well as he has been known for his good governance, he said.
As the state leaders are stuck in squabbles, allegations and counter-allegations, Nitish Kumar is keeping mum and has not reacted to the widespread student protest that has caused huge damage to the railway properties in Bihar.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal on the other hand fancies the chances of stitching up a coalition in case the Janata Dal (United) separates from the BJP. But this could prove to be a pipe dream as the BJP leadership will not risk the coalition, even if state leaders are angry with the way the agitation was handled in Bihar.
It is believed that the motormouths from both parties have been told to keep silent and not say anything that could probably complicate the relations further.
Top leaders from both parties have realised that nothing much could be done about what has happened but the future of the government could be secured only if top leaders keep on talking to each other about certain important issues.
Senior JD (U) leader Upendra Kushwaha had also stressed on the need for forming a coordination committee to thrash out differences, if any, but that decision has been pending for more than a year.
Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, another constituent of the ruling alliance, also said that a coordination committee is the only way to sort out long-pending issues.
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