Patna, May 14 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, was granted bail on Thursday in a six-year-old case dating back to the COVID-19 period.
He appeared before the MP/MLA Court in Patna and surrendered before the court of Praveen Kumar Malviya, following which his bail plea was accepted.
The case pertains to protests and sit-ins organised during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Tejashwi Yadav, the FIR was registered by the administration in a forced manner in response to demonstrations he led to highlight public grievances during the crisis.
Speaking to the media after securing bail, he said, “During the COVID period, a case was forcibly registered against me by the administration. As a public representative, I organised protests to raise issues affecting the public.”
Tejashwi Yadav recalled the hardships faced by migrant workers during the pandemic, when thousands were forced to walk back to their homes due to a lack of transport facilities.
He alleged that the government did not make adequate arrangements at the time.
He stated that the Opposition had a responsibility to raise these concerns and ensure that the voices of affected people reached the government.
Targeting the administration, the RJD leader said that taking action against leaders for raising public issues goes against democratic principles.
He asserted that the Opposition would continue to speak up for the rights and welfare of the people.
The case is among several filed during the pandemic period, when protests over lockdown measures and migrant worker issues led to FIRs under various sections for alleged violations of guidelines.
Tejashwi Yadav also targeted the Centre following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to citizens to conserve energy, reduce the use of petroleum products, and adopt public transportation.
Reacting to the appeal, Tejashwi Yadav said that such a message reflects the failure of the government’s policies.
He remarked that a similar appeal had been made during the demonetization period and questioned its outcome.
“The Prime Minister’s appeal to the nation is actually a sign of policy failure. A similar appeal was made during demonetization—what came of it? The decisions taken by the Prime Minister in the past have not been in the interest of the common people,” he said.
