PATNA: A massive political row has erupted in the state of Bihar, after a video of two youths assaulted by a group of men for appearing in an examination in West Bengal has gone viral on the internet. The viral video which is briskly doing the rounds on the social media deals with a group of men reportedly linked with an organisation, who could be seen harassing the youths for allegedly possessing forged domicile certificates.
In the video, two youths are seen resting in a room when a few people barged in and asked them to produce their documents. The men introduced themselves as officers of intelligence wing and asked the youths about their hometowns. When the youths replied that they are from Bihar and have arrived here for a physical examination for a Staff Selection Commission (SSC) recruitment, the attackers told them how can they take part in the exam in the state, when they are not its residents.
One of the victim youth, Ankit Yadav, a resident of Danapur, Bihar was then pressurised by the men to show his documents. Fearing that the men could torn his papers, Yadav continuously pleaded them to take him to the police, however the attackers pushed him to the walls and on the ground subsequently. The youths were then asked to perform sit-ups and warned against returning to Bengal for any such examinations in future. In the dying moments of the video, Yadav was seen pleading before the men, swearing that he will return to Bihar.
यह अंकित यादव हैं
दानापुर, पटना, बिहार के निवासी
पश्चिम बंगाल में परीक्षा के लिए गए थेवहां इनके साथ दुर्व्यवहार किया गया क्योंकि यह बिहारी हैं, इनके साथ मारपीट हुआ
बेचारा मजबूर होकर हाथ जोड़ रहा है
पैर पकड़ रहा है
कान पकर कर उठ बैठ करवाया गयाक्या यह मानवता हैं?
क्या पश्चिम… pic.twitter.com/9PRlxsGXvq— Chandan Sharma (@ChandanSharmaG) September 26, 2024
According to the media reports, the Silliguri police has apprehended the prime accused, identified as Rajat Bhattacharya along with another accused. A member of Bangla Pokkho, an organisation reportedly associated with promotion of Bangla language, Bhattacharya has alleged that the youths from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are snatching jobs of Bengali youths with fake documentation.
He alleged that he was informed that the said youths have fake certificates, hence they wanted to catch them red handed and hand them over to the police, however a few people from the SSB intervened and saved them, after which they ran away.
Sharing the details of the case, the Silliguri police in a post on X informed, that “A video was in circulation on social media where two persons claiming them as IB officers were seen assaulting and abusing two other persons in Silliguri. Those two persons have been identified, their claim of being the IB officers is fake and they have been arrested.”
Union Ministers Giriraj Singh, Chirag Paswan slams Bengal government
The incident triggered a massive political row in the state of Bihar, where many of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders slammed the Bengal administration over the incident. Taking to the X, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Giriraj Singh said “Red carpet for Rohingya Muslims in Bengal and Bihar kid beaten up for taking exam? Are these children not part of India? Has the Mamata government taken the contract of only saving rapists.”
बंगाल में रोहिंग्या मुसलमान के लिए रेड कारपेट और परीक्षा देने गए बिहार के बच्चे के साथ मारपीट ?
क्या ये बच्चे हिंदुस्तान के अंग नहीं?
क्या ममता सरकार ने सिर्फ बलात्कारियों को बचाने का ठेका ले रखा है?@SuvenduWB pic.twitter.com/FVyOhSn5aw— Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) September 26, 2024
Taking it further, Union Minister and leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Chirag Paswan in a post also come down heavily on the West Bengal’s Chief Minister (CM), Mamta Banarjee over the incident.
“The news of the brutal assault on Bihari students in West Bengal is very unfortunate and condemnable. The Chief Minister of that state has once again insulted the Biharis, which cannot be tolerated at all. I want to ask Mamata Banerjee Ji, is it a crime to take an exam in West Bengal? Will the opposition party leaders still remain silent? I want to ask the Leader of the Opposition of Bihar, on what basis will you support the Trinamool Congress now?”
पश्चिम बंगाल में बिहारी छात्रों से बर्बरतापूर्ण मारपीट की खबर बेहद दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण और निंदनीय है। वहां की मुख्यमंत्री ने फिर एक बार बिहारियों का अपमान किया है, जिसे कतई बर्दाश्त नहीं किया जा सकता। मैं ममता बनर्जी जी से पूछना चाहता हूं कि क्या पश्चिम बंगाल में परीक्षा देना भी गुनाह… pic.twitter.com/r63phJkbcr
— युवा बिहारी चिराग पासवान (@iChiragPaswan) September 26, 2024
He further made an appeal to the Bihar’s CM, Nitish Kumar to do a comprehensive inquiry into the matter and take legal action against the accused. It’s been further reported that the Bihar police has also requested the West Bengal police to take action into the matter and informed them subsequently about the development.
