Bihar: Former BJP Ally Leader Receives Death Threat for Demanding Nupur Sharma's Arrest

Patna: Police have alerted all districts across Bihar after sensing there an attempt to foster trouble in the name of supporting or opposing suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

A leader of the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), a former ally of the BJP in Bihar, received a death threat letter after demanding an apology from and arrest of Sharma for her controversial remarks against Prophet Muhammad. Afterwards, hundreds of printed posters supporting Sharma appeared in the Gopalganj district on Monday.

Though neither an individual nor an organisation has openly come forward in support of Sharma in the state, the two incidents, one after another, suggest something else.

VIP’s national spokesperson Devjyoti has lodged a written complaint with the police in Patna in connection with the death threat letter received by him.

“I have filed a complaint in S K Puri police station. Some anti-social people have sent me a death threat after I have demanded an apology and the arrest of Nupur Sharma for her objectionable statement against the Prophet. But my party and I will continue to oppose Nupur Sharma’s remarks," said Devjyoti.

Police station officer Dheeraj Kumar said an investigation was ongoing to find the people who sent the death threat.

Former Chief Minister of Bihar Jitan Ram Manjhi’s party Hindustan Awami Morcha, an ally of the ruling NDA in the state, announced its opposition to Sharma for her controversial remarks.

On the other hand, in Gopalganj town, posters were found at different temples, busy squares, walls, educational buildings, parks and other places in support of Nupur Sharma. "I support Nupur Sharma” posters alerted the district police that started a probe into the matter that can lead to further trouble.

Angry over posters in support of Sharma, some Muslim organisations announced they will protest against it. But police have refused to give permission to the Muslim organisations to take out a protest march against Sharma in Gopalganj and its neighbouring Siwan district.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Monday broke his silence over Sharma's controversial remarks, saying when her party acted against her and an FIR was registered against her, there was no need for any support or protest or anything on this issue.

Last Friday, when violent protests against Sharma were reported in Ranchi (Jharkhand), Prayagraj (UP) and other places, no such instance was reported in Bihar despite protests in several towns.

The BJP on June 5 suspended Sharma, the party's national spokesperson, and expelled its Delhi unit’s media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed escalated with protests from some Muslim countries like Kuwait, Qatar and Iran. Sharma’s comments, made in a TV debate, and Jindal’s now-deleted tweets with the said remarks sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries.