After Gareebon ka Maseeha, Gareeb Rally and Gareeb Rath, Lalu’s party unleashed Gareebon ki Pitai in Bihar yesterday

Shakespeare significantly used clowns in his drama, now as Indian politics has turned into a Shakespearean drama, in the name of anti CAA protest, the clowns are people taking part in it as it is all going in vain, thanks to their humorous knowledge regarding the CAA while the tragedy is the poor with goons burning up his belongings, poor has no shoulder to weep. As the RJD’s leader called the bandh on December 21, the visuals of this bandh from across the state were violent and tragic while the people were amusing as they bullied the people to halt their businesses.

It must be clarified that violent protest in any part of the country is condemnable and punishable, however, in the state is Bihar, these protests have ‘tragic comedy’ written all over them. RJD’s Tejaswi Yadav had called the bandh, however, RJD’s undisputed leader Lalu Prasad Yadav was desperately missed by his supporters especially the poor during anti CAA protest. Lalu had been a ‘man of humour’ in the politics, the poor of the state loved him and supported him in all his ventures, however, the way the RJD goons unleashed violence on these poor people is tragic. They have burnt rickshaws, autos and buses, RJD has violently kicked their stomach.

Amusingly, during the bandh, RJD supporters also consisted of children who were only sloganeering but drew a blank when asked what CAA and NRC are all about. However, when asked again, they started derogatory words on the top of their voices.

“We are protesting because Mahatma Gandhi was murdered. Godse (Nathuram Godse) murdered him. This government supports those who murdered Mahatma Gandhi,” said a protester.

The children protestors who had no idea about the CAA said that they were there to release Lalu Yadav from the jail. The participation of the poor of the state in bandh was significant, RJD has a reputation of luring people in political events for cash, liquor and food, they even intimidate the people who do not the participate in their events like bandhs and rallies. This bandh also saw similar tactics of RJD leaders, luring children to protest, intimating rickshaw pullers and auto drivers and blocking highways alongside with the help of local goons.

Since the very day the anti CAA protest started, the futility of it was ensured by the protesters themselves, with them having no factual justification for their protest, their general knowledge has been a delight for the people, however, the most enriching explanation of the protest came from the RJD’s protest where a person said “CAA/NRC is the machine. These machines produce Indian citizens, they give citizenship,” he said.

Another group of protesters said that they are protesting to free RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav from Jail and to install RJD government in the state. “We are protesting because we want Lalu Prasad out of the Jail. We want RJD government to rule the state,” said one among them.

It was alleged that when Lalu Prasad Yadav was in power, he gave away huge amounts of cash, food and liquor (Daaru aur Murga in local dialect), Saris and blankets to ensure massive crowds at his Gareeb Rallies and Raillas. Almost every rally of his witnessed humungous crowds, a silent testimonial to the fact that the attendees were well taken care of. The RJD supremo mobilized the gareeb in his favour, held ‘gareeb’ rallies and started Gareeb Rath trains. The politics in Bihar has mad tragic use of the plight of the poor to stay in power but the comedy is that the party resorts to violence against the same people when they do not conform to its will.

These tactics of the RJD is a desperate attempt to maintain its relevance in the state; with Lalu Yadav in jail, they have been losing political ground and now as RJD goons are ransacking the law and order by forcing this bandh on the people, they are losing the support of the poor too, who has fiercely supported Lalu, Rabri and now Tejaswi. Frequent bandhs called by political parties in Bihar is distressing as its already impoverished people suffer as goons violently force the people to shut businesses. RJD must condemn the way its leaders have plundered the businesses and belongings of the poor people, only in the quest to appease a few radical Muslims. Ditching poor of the state in support of infiltrators is deplorable.