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Laloo Yadav arrested during protest rally

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav, along with party working president Ranjan Prasad Yadav and RJD chief whip in the Bihar assembly M D Nematullah, was arrested for defying prohibitory orders near Dakbungalow roundabout in Patna today.

They were demonstrating in protest against the imposition of President's rule in the state. More than 2,000 RJD supporters also courted arrest.

Earlier, the police lathicharged processionists near the Revenue Building when they tried to indulge in violence. No one was injured in the police action.

The police said the party supporters were taken into custody under Section 151 of the IPC and sent to the camp jail at B S College, Danapur.

Addressing the gathering, the RJD chief described the imposition of President's rule as a "pre-planned conspiracy to overthrow a democratically elected government".

He indirectly appealed to the Congress not to support the presidential proclamation invoking Article 356 of the Constitution in Parliament in order to maintain secular fabric of the country.

Former chief minister Rabri Devi did not participate in the procession, which originated from her home in the morning.

Former state ministers Ramai, Shanker Prasad Tekriwal and Jagadanand Singh were also taken into custody.

Meanwhile, Bihar Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari today stressed the need for revamping the law and order machinery to instil confidence among the people and expedite execution of developmental projects in the state.

Addressing all departmental secretaries, including state chief secretary, state director general of police and other senior officials at his secretariat chamber, the governor passed instructions to accord maximum priority to law and order to establish a sense of security among the people.

Bhandari said the people were gripped by fear-psychosis and added that the state administration should ensure security to the people.

The governor directed the departmental secretaries to speed up implementation of social welfare and other developmental projects so that the fruits of welfare-oriented schemes reached the common people. This would help ease social tension, he stated.

Bhandari also appealed to the striking teachers and non-gazetted employees to eschew the path of confrontation and find an amicable settlement to their problems.

He instructed the concerned officials, agitating teachers and employees to sit together to hammer out ways to resolve the ongoing stalemate.

Meanwhile, within hours of imposition of the central rule, the governor changed state Chief Secretary S N Biswas and Director General of Police K A Jacob.

Member of state revenue board V S Dubey replaced Biswas, while managing director of state police housing construction corporation T P Sinha replaced Jacob.

According to official sources, a major administrative reshuffle was on the cards once the advisors to the governor assumed their offices here.

UNI

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