Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoj Tiwari has accused workers of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of assaulting him while he was participating in a roadshow in Dumraon, Bihar. The incident occurred on Saturday as Tiwari was campaigning for the upcoming assembly elections. He stated that his convoy had to speed away to avoid a confrontation with the alleged miscreants.
Tiwari detailed the event on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Just a short while ago, at the Brahm Baba site in Dumraon Ariyav, when people were welcoming the roadshow with candidate Rahul Singh, some people tried to attack us while chanting RJD slogans. To prevent a confrontation, we sped up the vehicle and left. Why such thuggery by RJD in the campaign?”
What happened during the roadshow?
According to Tiwari, RJD supporters ‘invaded’ his roadshow in Dumraon, Buxar. They began chanting slogans and one individual even attempted to place an RJD flag on his vehicle. Tiwari reported that when they resisted, the group resorted to further sloganeering, hurled abuses, and tried to physically obstruct them. To avoid a repeat of incidents like the one in Mokama, drivers were instructed to quickly leave the scene. Tiwari further alleged that their vehicles were hit with sticks, describing the incident as a blatant crime.
He appealed to the Election Commission, administration, and leaders of the Mahagathbandhan, questioning such behavior during election campaigns. Tiwari mentioned that a formal complaint has been lodged with the Superintendent of Police (SP), and the Election Commission has been informed, with a demand for strict action against those responsible.
BJP’s Response
Reacting to the incident, Delhi Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh criticized the RJD, reiterating the ‘jungle raj’ jibe and alleging that the party aims to create chaos and disrupt law and order. He suggested that the RJD was troubled by the significant support Tiwari was receiving in Dumraon. Singh stated, “Whenever RJD believes it will come to power, it either fails to do so or shows its anger. We do not adhere to such an ideology. They only desire chaos and aim to disturb law and order.” He added, “If this were to happen to Manoj Tiwari, a well-known figure in the Bhojpuri community, imagine what might happen to the people of Bihar… I request the people of Bihar to eradicate jungle raj and bring back Nitish Kumar and PM Modi-led NDA coalition.”
Manoj Tiwari, an actor-turned-politician, is a key campaigner for the BJP in the Bihar Assembly polls, alongside other prominent figures like Ravi Kishan and Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’. The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled to take place in two phases, with voting on November 6 and November 11, and the results to be declared on November 14.