Tejashwi Yadav, assaulted journalist
NEW DLEHI: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, demanding action against Bihar urban development and housing minister Jibesh Mishra over an alleged assault on a journalist.Addressing a press conference in Patna, Tejashwi played a video clip purportedly showing minister Jibesh Mishra misbehaving with a journalist during a visit to his constituency. The journalist, according to Tejashwi, had questioned the condition of roads when the alleged incident occurred. He added that the minister has been found guilty in a fake medicines case as well. “I want to present before you the actions of Bihar urban development and housing minister, Jibesh Mishra. He has also been found guilty in a fake drug case. He has committed a serious crime while being a minister, and I present the video before you,” Tejashwi said. He alleged that the journalist, belonging to a backward community, was beaten and abused for asking a question. Raising questions on the silence of both the CM and the PM, he asked whether any action would be taken.The former deputy chief minister also took aim at the state’s law and order situation, questioning whether such chaos and lawlessness existed before 2005 – a pointed reference to the tenure of his parents, Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, during their time as chief ministers. He described the current state of affairs as “complete anarchy”, accusing the government of failing to uphold basic democratic norms and accountability.“There is complete anarchy in Bihar. Was the situation like this before 2005? Does this CM know that the minister has been held guilty in a fake drug case?” he said.Taking a swipe at PM Modi’s visit to Bihar on the same day, Tejashwi questioned whether the journalist who was allegedly assaulted by the minister “does not have a mother or sister.” He further remarked that while the Prime Minister often speaks emotionally about personal matters, the real question is whether this journalist will get justice. The comment was a veiled reference to recent political attacks by the BJP and PM over alleged remarks targeting PM Modi’s mother, during ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ held jointly with leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi.“PM is coming here today. Does this journalist not have a mother? Will he get justice?… You (PM) will speak about yourself, but will you get justice for this journalist and sack the minister? Will there be an FIR against the minister? Will he be punished?”Multiple videos of the incident have gone viral on social media. In the posts the assaulted journalist can be heard saying “no matter what i will continue to ask questions, nobody can stop me neither politicians nor the administration.” He went on to say, “if asking questions is wrong, no one should educate their childrens.”
