Kanhaiya Kumar's convoy attacked in Bihar for the 7th time in 2 weeks

CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar's convoy was attacked again in Bihar on Tuesday and a Congress MLA's car, which was also in the cavalcade, was vandalised by suspected BJP workers. This is the seventh attack on the convoy in two weeks, claimed organisers of the Kumar's state-wide "Jan Gan Man Yatra" which began last month and is scheduled to conclude a fortnight later with a rally in the state capital.

Later sharing the stage with a host of leaders from the opposition Grand Alliance at a public meeting, Kanhaiya Kumar flayed the Narendra Modi government for the "divisive" Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi who heads the Hindustani Awam Morcha, Congress MLAs Shakil Ahmed Khan and and Awadhesh Kumar Singh addressed a gathering at Sherghati in Gaya district.

Prior to reaching the venue, the convoy was attacked by a group of motorcyclists who hurled stones at the vehicles leaving the window panes of Singh's car shattered. He, however, was not injured in the incident, party sources said adding that a police complaint was filed in connection with it.

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A statement was put out by the Joint Forum Against NPR-NRC-CAA, under the banner of which the drive is being undertaken, deploring "the seventh such attack in less than two weeks since the beginning of the tour". The statement said, "The slogans raised by the motorcyclists clearly indicated their adherence to a particular ideology" a reference to the BJP which shares power in the state and has been critical of Kanhaiya Kumar over his alleged involvement in a sedition case.

It is clear that the BJP and the state government of which the saffron party is a part has been rattled by the response the "Jan Gan Man Yatra" has been receiving, it claimed. "Our delegation had recently met the chief secretary and apprised him of the frequent attacks. We now urge the chief minister (Nitish Kumar) to intervene and ensure safety and security of those taking part in the Yatra or lending support to it," the statement added.

More and more people from all walks of life are joining the Yatra, claimed Congress MLA Khan who has been accompanying Kumar since the commencement of the tour on January 30. "We hope to defeat the BJP government's agenda of hate with love," Khan told PTI over phone.

Eggs pelted at car

Eggs and lubricants were hurled at the car of leftist leader Kanhaiya Kumar by some unidentified persons in Jamui town on Monday when he was on way to neighbouring Nawada district to address a rally against CAA-NPR-NRC. The incident occurred in the morning near a bus stand at Mahisauri chowk under town police station of Jamui when some unknown persons emerged from the crowd and threw eggs and lubricants (commonly known as 'mobil') targeting the vehicle in which the youth leader was travelling, police sources said.

Two Congress MLAs were with Kumar in the car. A few eggs hit the vehicle but since the black glasses of the car's doors were up it did not cause harm to anybody, the sources said. The convoy carried its forward journey notwithstanding the unpleasant happening.

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(With PTI inputs)