CPM leader and former JNU student Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar was detained on Thursday morning after he reached a Mahatma Gandhi ashram in Bihar’s West Champaran. Kumar was in the Bhitiharwa Ashram for his ‘Hamara desh hamara samvidhan, Bapu dham se Gandhi maidan’ rally, from where he was detained by the district administration amid high drama in the presence of hundreds of villagers.
Confirming his detention, Narkatiyaganj Sub divisional police officer (SDPO) Suryakant Choubey said an action to this effected was necessitated considering the law and order situation. “It being Saraswati puja today, trouble may well erupt if they were allowed to move further. So, we have detained Kanhaiya Kumar,” said the SDPO.
Earlier at around 10 am, former JNU student Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar reached the Mahatma Gandhi Asharam after his night stay in Chanpatiya, a rural town in West Champaran district of Bihar. About half an hour later when the CPM leader was about to leave the ashram for the march, after paying obeisance to Gandhi, officials namely SDM Narkatiyaganj and SDPO stopped them from moving further.
As news spread, his party workers grew restless and took to sloganeering. Later, an open court outside the asharam turned into a meeting ground.
Addressing the gathering the CPM leader Kanhaiya Kumar said that the state and the central government were hell bent on gagging the voice of the common people. “They have used the official machinery as a part of a deep rooted conspiracy to gag the voice of common people and curb the scheduled programme which were aimed at spreading awareness about the misdeed of the government. “ he said.
Kanhaiya Kumar is also schedule to address a public meeting at Motihari, East Champaran district headquaerters as the part of the yatra which is scheduled culminate into a mass rally at Gandhi Maintain on February 29.
Earlier, on Wednesday evening, the local administration had cancelled Kanhaiya’s proposed public meeting at Bettiah on Thursday.
