Bihar government suppressing Hindus, says BJP minister

Patna: Union minister Giriraj Singh has landed into a controversy by meeting and extending support to political workers who have been sent to jail for instigating communal tension in Bihar’s Nawada.

He also met the family members of one of the accused on Sunday and blamed the state government led by chief minister Nitish Kumar for “framing workers” in false cases.

“It is unfortunate that they have been framed in false cases by the state administration. They were only trying to maintain peace and harmony in Nawada when communal tension flared up during Ram Navami last year,” Mr Singh said.

The minister also accu-sed the Nitish Kumar-led state government of having a mindset of suppressing Hindus for communal harmony.

“It is very saddening to see that the government feels that communal harmony will be there only if they suppress Hindus. I request the state government and the society to let go of this kind of attitude,” said Mr Singh.

The development occurred a day after former finance minister Jayant Sinha was criticized for felicitating eight lynching convicts in Jharkhand.

Speaking on the issue, Congress MLC Prem Chand Mishra said, “The NDA is in power in Bihar and if Giriraj Singh feels that the youth have been sent to jail on false charges then instead of giving statements in public he should meet the chief minister.”