Upper caste activists protest against Giriraj Singh

Activists belonging to upper caste groups on Friday protested against senior BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh in Nawada, his parliamentary constituency in Bihar.

The activists from Samanya Jati Sangharsh Morcha and Anarakhshit Morcha jointly protested against the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises by burning his effigy and shouting slogans in the town's Parjatantra Chowk.

The protest was staged against the police who lathicharged activists when they showed the Minister black flags in Nawada on October 2.

Rajesh Kumar, the convenor of the Samanya Jati Sangharsh Morcha, has warned Giriaj Singh that if the police continues to act against the activists, the protests would be intensified.

Several BJP leaders in the recent past have faced the wrath of upper castes in Bihar, who are angry after the Centre restored the provision of immediate arrest under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that had been removed by the March 20 Supreme Court verdict.

They are also demanding reservation for poor upper castes.

BJP leaders, including Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Choubey, were shown black flags at different places in Bihar.

--IANS

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