'Cane-charging was state-sponsored', says ex-J'khand CM Raghubar Das

Patna, July 15 (IANS) Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das who was leading a four-member team to probe the July 13 Bihar cane-charging issue said that the Nitish Kumar-led state government has conspired against the BJP leaders to "brutalise" them. 

"Our leaders had not even reached Dak Bungalow Chowk when a cane-charge was initiated on them. The district administration had diverted the route deliberately. One of our workers died in that incident. It was totally a state-sponsored brutalisation of the BJP leaders," Das said.

"The way the cane-charge was initiated, reminded me of the incident during the 'JP movement'. I came to Patna on November 5, 1974. On that day too, cane-charge was initiated. Our central leadership has taken it seriously. We demand a judicial inquiry into the matter," the former Jharkhand chief minister said.

"It was extremely unfortunate that the BJP leaders were peacefully taking out the march and the district administration fired tear gas shells latched with chilli powder on them. This has led to the death of our Jahanabad party worker Vijay Singh," Das said.

Raghuwar Das claimed that over 1,000 BJP leaders were injured in this cane-charge and 300 of them were critically injured.

MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal, Leader of the opposition Vijay Sinha, MLA Amrendra Pratap Singh and other leaders were injured.

The four-member team comprising Raghubar Das, Sunita Duggal, Manoj Tiwari and Vishnu Dayal Ram visited Gandhi Maidan, PMCH, IGIMS and bone hospital at Rajvansi Nagar.

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