Idol Vandalized in Bihar’s Nawada, Sparks Communal Violence Again
New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has a big challenge on his hands as seven out of 38 districts in the state are in the grip of communal tension. In a fresh bout of violence in Bihar, clashes between two communities were reported again from Nawada after a deity’s idol was vandalized by some miscreants early on Friday.
“It was a matter of an idol being vandalized by some miscreants, which led to the communities coming face-to-face; situation is now under control,” said District Magistrate Kaushal Kumar. According to reports, the resultant violence from the incident led to torching of shops in the area and vehicles being damaged. The Internet services have been suspended in the area and the police presence has been increased.
The situation was already tense after declaration of by-poll results as videos surfaced in Araria showing youths chanting “anti-national” slogans and beheading of a tea seller in Darbhanga. Then just a day before Ram Navami, communal clashes were first reported from Bhagalpur.
Since then several cities like Aurangabad, Nalanda, Munger, Arrah and Samastipur have experienced communal tension. However, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar himself has taken over the task of monitoring the situation and has deployed heavy forces in all the affected districts.
The situation has triggered a political slugfest with the opposition RJD-Congress combine blaming the spurt in such incidents on alleged dominance of the BJP, the junior partner in the Nitish Kumar government, on the state’s bureaucratic machinery. Nitish Kumar though has maintained that the law will take its own course.
