The arrest of Farhan Raja, a youth leader of the CPI (ML) and state head of the Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA), in West Champaran has intensified political tensions in Bihar. The detention comes just ahead of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s ‘Samriddhi Yatra,’ which begins today.

Kunal, Secretary of the CPI (ML) state committee, claimed that Farhan Raja was arrested in the Bettiah region for raising his voice on behalf of the poor and for questioning the poor state of healthcare in government hospitals. He alleged that the government is taking repressive measures to avoid addressing public grievances and to silence those who speak out.

Kunal said, “This is not a new incident. During the Chief Minister’s previous tours, public movements and activists were consistently suppressed. The same approach is being observed now during the Samriddhi Yatra.”

The CPI (ML) has demanded the immediate release of Farhan Raja and warned that if the repressive actions continue, the party will escalate a statewide resistance movement.

The party questioned why the government is so fearful of public grievances and the voices of activists, asking whether raising questions has now become a crime.