Give up crime or leave state: BJP

Patna: The killing of a municipal executive officer in Bhagalpur and the swift police encounter of the prime accused have triggered both political reactions and strong messaging from the ruling dispensation, with leaders asserting a tough stance on crime while also seeking to reassure the business community about law and order in the state.BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi while speaking at the Bhamashah Jayanti function organised by the BJP’s commerce cell on Wednesday, referred to the recent police encounter in Bhagalpur and said the message to offenders was unambiguous: Give up crime or leave the state.Earlier in the day, Saraogi, along with CM Samrat Choudhary and deputy CM Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, paid floral tributes to Bhamashah at Punaichak Park in Patna. He lauded Bhamashah’s contribution, noting that the historical figure had dedicated personal wealth for the nation’s defence.Saraogi claimed that under the NDA govt, traders and industrialists are receiving both security and respect. Drawing a contrast with the pre-2005 Lalu-Rabri regime, he alleged that businessmen once faced extortion, including forcible seizure of vehicles and goods during social events. “Today, businessmen are being felicitated and honoured,” he said.He added that the NDA govt remains committed to promoting industrial growth in Bihar and has simplified tax regulations to ease compliance for traders.Former assembly Speaker Prem Kumar, and former ministers Mangal Pandey and Ram Kripal Yadav, among others, attended the event.Reacting to RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav’s allegations, BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi and JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha said the NDA govt has a zero-tolerance policy on crime and corruption. Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi hailed the Bhagalpur police and said, “Tejashwi’s gangs cannot match the might of ‘Samrat’s Sena’.”CM Samrat Choudhary, who is to hold a meeting with all the DMs and SPs of the state on Thursday, expressed condolences over the killing of EO Krishna Bhushan Kumar, calling it a “tragic loss in the line of duty”.JD(U) national working president said law and order has been the top priority of the NDA govt under Nitish Kumar. Regarding the police encounter in which accused Ramdhani Yadav was killed, he said there was and will be no compromise with crime and criminals in the state.