LJP criticises Bihar Govt. over scholarship scam, questions rationale behind baton charge on students

New Delhi, Aug. 4 (ANI): The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on Wednesday slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar government for failing to act appropriately after several Dalit students staged a protest who were baton charged by police officials. LJP leader Chirag Paswan also criticised state police personnel's decision to baton charge students who were protesting against the alleged scholarship scam that surfaced in Patna. "I am unable to understand the reason behind the baton charge by police officials against the protesting students. They are students, they are our future, what harm can they do?, he asked "One thing is clear; if anybody raises their concerns against the ruling dispensation the government will quash them," he added. Paswan further said that step taken by the state government to reduce the scholarship was "tyrannical" and attributed the fall of revenue due to ban of alcohol to be one the reasons behind the reduction. "It seems that ever since they banned consumption of alcohol in the state, the revenue has gone down and it may be one of the reasons to cut scholarship benefits extended to SC and ST students, nevertheless their step to cut the scholarship is a tyrannical," he told ANI. He sought central government's intervention on the matter and asked the state government to take stringent action against the police personnel who baton charged the students and also the person who gave the order. Yesterday, several Dalit students from various colleges in Bihar staged protest over scholarship scam that surfaced in Patna. Earlier this year, Kumar-led government landed in controversy after a scholarship scam emerged in Nawada district of Bihar. Reportedly, as per a probe conducted by the district administration, out of the total of 60 students given scholarships in 2015 for the session 2012-13, only one was found genuine. The SC and ST department pays an annual tuition fee of Rs. 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh to each of the scholarship to students. (ANI)