Tejashwi Yadav and others booked for entering Gandhi Maidan

Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and 18 others have been booked for protesting at a prohibited area on Saturday

Patna police lodged an FIR against them for forcible entry into Gandhi Maidan without permission.

Suresh Kumar, DSP (town) of Patna district, has confirmed the development.

Tejashwi Yadav and RJD state President Jagdanand Singh and Congress state unit chief Madan Mohan Jha entered the Gandhi Maidan to pay respect to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue.

They were protesting against the new farm laws despite the district administration not allowing them.

DSP Kumar said that 18 leaders have been booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act for breaching social distancing norms.

Patna District Magistrate Kumar Ravi said that the district administration has not given permission to stage 'dharna' inside Gandhi Maidan. Only individual persona can go there to pay respect to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue.

RJD state spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan said: "The Patna district administration has booked 18 leaders of Mahagathbandhan, including RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, which points towards the low mentality of the NDA government."

"Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has lost all dignity after he become the CM of Bihar with the help of people who worship Nathuram Godse. They are not only anti-farmers, but also murderers of democratic values," he said.

"Nitish Kumar has lost human compassion. We had several examples of violation of social distancing norms during the recent Assembly polls. We won't get scared by such moves by the Nitish government and will stand with our farmers and the common people of the country," Gagan said.

IANS report with edits