Pappu Yadav goes on hunger strike in Patna jail, vows to 'unmask the COVID mafia'

Protesting against his arrest,  Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik) chief Pappu Yadav on Wednesday, declared that he would go on a hunger strike stating that his fight to unmask the COVID mafia was on. He claimed that he was unable to sit down as he had undergone leg surgery and that there was no commode in his cell. Yadav was arrested by Patna police for 'flouting COVID guidelines' on Tuesday.

Pappu Yadav goes on hunger strike

Pappu Yadav arrested

On Tuesday, Yadav was accused of flouting novel coronavirus norms and was taken to the Gandhi Maidan Police Station in Patna amid his vocal criticism of the Bihar government over its handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Speaking to the media when he was being taken away, Yadav said, "I tried to save Bihar. I don't know why I was arrested. You (reporters) should ask the police and government why they have booked (me)". 

Explaining the rationale for Yadav's arrest, DSP Town, Suresh Prasad stated, "He has been arrested for violation of lockdown. He was moving around in a vehicle without a permit. Legal action is being taken." Later Yadav said that Nitish Kumar is 'under pressure' and pointed out to how he was helping local people in Bihar for oxygen cylinders, beds, COVID drugs etc.

Controversy over ambulances

Pappu Yadav has been under the spotlight after he raised the issue of ambulances purchased from the MPLAD fund of BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy in 2019. He lamented that 50 ambulances on the premises of Vishwa Prabha Community Centre at Armour were not used at this juncture when they could be used for ferrying COVID-19 patients to hospitals. Moreover, he alleged that these ambulances were being used to transport sand instead. 

Denying the allegations, Rudy claimed that the ambulances were inoperational as the drivers had stopped turning up owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a complaint by Panchayat Ambulance Drivers' Coordinator Rajan Singh, the police registered an FIR against the JAP(L) president for making a forced entry on the VPCC premises, damaging the parked ambulances and misbehaving with the staff. Taking umbrage at this development, Yadav sought that a case should be lodged against the Saran MP under the Epidemic Act. He also presented 40 drivers whose services can be utilised to run the ambulances.