Tejashwi booked after holding demonstration for farmers; dares Nitish govt to arrest him

At least 18 leaders of the RJD, Congress and the Left Parties, including Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, have been booked for staging demonstration in the prohibited area without permission. On Saturday, Tejashwi Yadav and Mahagathbandhan allies - Congress and CPI, was stopped outside Patna's Gandhi maidan as the RJD leader held a demonstration to protest against the three farm laws. Patna administration said that Tejashwi Yadav had not sought permission for protesting at the Gandhi maidan, even as the RJD leader stated otherwise.

Later, an FIR was lodged against 18 named and 500 unnamed persons with the Gandhi Maidan police station,  for allegedly violating the government orders and putting peoples lives at risk amid COVID-19 pandemic, under various sections of the IPC and the Epidemic Act. RJD leaders Shyam Rajak, Brishen Patel, Alok Mehta and Mrityunjay Tiwary have also been named in the FIR.  Earlier on Saturday, addressing media from outside the Gandhi maidan, Tejashwi had demanded scrapping of the laws and extended solidarity to the protesting farmers. 

Reacting to the same, Tejashwi Yadav has said, "The coward government of Bihar, run by the coward chief minister, has lodged an FIR against us for raising our voice for the farmers. I want to tell them if you have power, come and arrest us. For the justice of farmers, I will surrender, I can even take a death sentence for them."

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Earlier on Saturday, a senior Patna district administration official had said that dharna inside Gandhi Maidan is not allowed as it is a 'prohibited area'. If any individual, political party or organisation have to hold a sit-in they can do so at Gardanibagh which has been declared as designated place to stage dharna, the official added.

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Bharat Bandh on Dec 8

Upping the ante, farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws on Friday announced a Bharat bandh on December 8 and threatened to intensify their agitation and block more roads leading to the national capital if the government does not accept their demands. Addressing a press conference, one of the leaders Gurnam Singh Chadoni said if the Centre on Saturday does not accept their demand of repealing the three farm laws, they will intensify their agitation. He said that farmers will protest against the central government and corporate houses and burn their effigies on Saturday.

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5th round of talks

Ahead of the talks, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other ministers met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day. During the meeting, the Centre was represented by Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Food and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal. At the outset, the government gave a point-wise written reply to the farmer leaders. Maintaining that they had enough ration to last for a year of protests, they argued against allowing corporate farming. The next round of talks with farmer leaders will be held on December 9.

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