Tejashwi offers juice to fasting RJD MLA, hails beauty of democracy in Bihar
Patna,(BiharTimes): Deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Sunday offered juice to break the indefinite fast of RJD MLA Saroj Yadav.
He reached the spot as the condition of the MLA deteriorated and doctors’ advised that the latter be shifted to hospital. Saroj accepted juice after much persuasion by Tejashwi.
Thirty-five year old Saroj, who had been on hunger strike since Thursday, had threatened self-immolation if his demands are not met.
He alleged that rural works department officials had made payments to contractors who had only constructed half-built roads in his constituency Barhara in Bhojpur district. He also sought the removal of Bhojpur district magistrate Birendra Prasad Yadav and deputy development commissioner Inayat Khan for the shoddy work.
On Saturday he threatened he would immolate himself if his demands were not met by 3 PMon Sunday.
However, much before the expiry of deadline Tejashwi, along with Bhola Yadav, the close aide of father Lalu Prasad, reached Gardanibagh, where the legislator was fasting.
The deputy CM assured him that the government would look into his allegations and requested him to end his hunger strike. Mani Yadav, his private assistant, came with a glass of orange juice which Tejashwi offered to Saroj.
Later he said “Tejashwi ji is our leader and he has assured me that action would be taken against the officials. He has also promised that my demands related to the rural works department and rural development department would be fulfilled.”
On the other hand Tejashwi said the chief minister has already given orders for a vigilance inquiry and the state government would ensure that his demands are met.
Tejashwi also said Saroj was raising issues that concerned people.
He said it was the beauty of democracy and the Grand Alliance government that a ruling party MLA could raise fingers at the officials. There is no dictatorship here like the Narendra Modi government, where ministers are not allowed to even speak a single word against the government.
Tejashwi mightbe right. Another RJD leader, this time its state spokesman, Mrityunjay Tiwari sat on fast unto death at Moinul Haq stadium in Rajendra Nagar in Patna on Saturday demanding government jobs for sportspersons in the state under sports quota.
Around 200 sportsmen from all over Bihar joined the protest along with Tiwari, who is also the president of Bihar Players' Association.
Incidentally senior RJD office-bearers, including state party president Ram Chandra Purve and MLA Bhai Birendra also joined Tiwari for some time.
According to Tiwari, he is leading the fast as the president of BPA. He said chief minister Nitish Kumar had announced government jobs to players under Mukhya Mantri Khel Vikas Yojana in 2009.
Later, around 150 players were given jobs in 2010 and 2011. However, no appointment has been made in the state under the sports quota since 2012.
He said though advertisement was floated in 2015 for employment under sports quota, nothing happened since then.
