Hajipur (Bihar): Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras on Monday faced protests after reaching Bihar's Hajipur, his parliamentary constituency in Vaishali district, during which motor oil was thrown at him, forcing him to change his stained clothes. Protestors also showed black flags to Paras, brother of late Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan.
It was the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader's first visit to the constituency after becoming a union minister last month. Five protestors, including a woman, have been identified. They will be arrested very soon, a senior police official said. The incident occurred when Paras, the Union minister for food processing, was stepping out of his car to meet his supporters. Someone from the crowd threw motor oil at Paras soiling his clothes while some others showed him black flags.
Police cleared the area and the minister's carcade left the spot. At his next programme, Paras was seen in fresh clothes. Talking to reporters, the LJP leader said he is the real political successor" of his late brother Ram Vilas Paswan. I consider Ram Vilas Paswan-ji as my ideal. He was my elder brother," he said. Paras did not name anyone who could be behind the protest.
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Chirag Paswan, son of Ram Vilas Paswan who had died at the age of 74 in October last year, is locked in a power tussle with his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras for the LJP's leadership. Paras was last month inducted into the Narendra Modi-led government's cabinet.
PTI
