Patna (Bihar) [India], September 21 : Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) National President Tej Pratap Yadav on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Bihar government over a viral video from Jamui showing a group of men allegedly confronting, harassing and molesting two Class 10 students on the road.
Yadav threatened to stage a hunger strike if the state government fails to take accountability.
Alleging a breakdown of law and order in the state, Yadav claimed that the police have apprehended "random individuals" merely for optics while the prime accused remains at large.
Speaking to ANI in Patna, the JJD chief said, "It is unfortunate for the country—and especially for Bihar—that the local populace has acted to vitiate the atmosphere when a young man and woman went out together. The Bihar government bears full accountability for this, and the Chief Minister must answer for it."
"If he fails to respond, our party will stage a hunger strike and launch a protest movement in Bihar. Young people—especially women and girls—are being constantly harassed," he stated.
Questioning the police investigation into the case, Yadav alleged lapses in the apprehension of suspects.
"Regarding the police action: instead of apprehending the prime suspect, they have likely arrested an innocent person or some random individual just to show the government that an arrest has been made. Yet, no action is being taken against the actual culprit—the main perpetrator. Action must be taken against the guilty party. That is our primary demand of the government," Yadav added.
Reacting to the viral video from Bihar's Jamui showing a youth being assaulted and a girl being molested, senior Congress leader T.S. Singh Deo stated that those occupying the highest offices in the country bear the responsibility of fostering a culture of respect and security for women, while demanding the "strictest possible punishment" for the perpetrators.
Speaking to ANI in New Delhi, the Congress leader highlighted that a failure in leadership mindset reflects across the societal fabric and impacts the safety of women and young girls.
"There is no doubt that those holding the country's highest offices bear the responsibility of fostering a mindset and consciousness in society that truly respects women and young girls, an environment where they feel safe and secure. If there is a flaw in one's mindset regarding this, it inevitably shows and trickles down through the ranks," Singh Deo said.
Acknowledging that while some incidents occur suddenly and may be difficult to preempt, he stressed that there must be zero tolerance in delivering justice.
"Sometimes, an incident occurs suddenly; it may or may not be possible to prevent it. However, such individuals must face the strictest possible punishment," he added.
The incident in Jamui has sparked political outrage across Bihar after a video surfaced online showing anti-social elements harassing a girl and assaulting a youth accompanying her.
Bihar Police have registered an FIR, formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), and taken three minors into custody as the search continues for the prime accused.