Jan Suraaj Party workers stage protest against "corrupt" Bihar Minister Mangal Pandey

Patna (Bihar) [India], June 23 : Jan Suraaj Party workers staged a protest outside the residence of Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey in Patna on Monday, accusing him of corruption and negligence in the health department.
The demonstration led by party leaders, including Jan Suraaj state president Manoj Bharti, saw workers attempt to gherao the minister's home, demanding his immediate resignation.
Bharti, while speaking to ANI, stated, "Mangal Pandey is responsible for the death of a Dalit girl. He is the most corrupt minister of Bihar. He has no right to hold one post. Therefore, today we are picketing. The police are crushing democratic rights. Every Minister in Nitish Kumar's cabinet is a thief."
Another worker said, "The Health Ministry has become very lacklustre, and it has nothing to control. The Health Minister did not take any cognisance of the incident, and we ask for his resignation."
On May 23, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor launched a scathing attack against Bihar's political leadership, criticising Health Minister Mangal Pandey and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for misgovernance and neglect of farmers' issues.
Speaking to mediapersons after addressing a public gathering, Kishor questioned Mangal Pandey's role during the COVID-19 crisis.
"Mangal Pandey was the Health Minister during Covid. Lakhs of people returned to Bihar on foot... Don't forget what hardships you and your family had to go through," he said, invoking painful memories of the migrant crisis during the pandemic in 2020.
Kishor also lashed out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's long tenure, saying his government had failed to ensure fair prices for farmers despite being in power for two decades.
"Nitish Kumar has been the Chief Minister for 20 years... Paddy was sold at Rs 1500 to Rs 1900 per quintal, and now the government is about to go in the next four months, so they are talking about Rabi and Kharif. People want the right price for grains," he said.