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The Congress on Sunday staged a protest in Patna against the arrest of Independent Lok Sabha MP Rajesh Ranjan, popularly known as Pappu Yadav, accusing the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar of political vendetta and misuse of state machinery.

Congress workers gathered outside the party’s state headquarters at Sadaqat Ashram, where they raised slogans against the government and burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The protest followed Yadav’s arrest late Friday night in connection with a forgery case dating back to 1995.

Yadav, the MP from Purnea, was taken into custody from his Mandiri residence under Section 467 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with forgery of valuable security and documents. A Patna court on Saturday remanded him to two days of judicial custody. However, citing ill health, authorities admitted him to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), where he will remain until the next hearing scheduled for Monday.

Also read: MP Pappu Yadav arrested in forgery case; admitted to hospital

Addressing the protest, Congress worker Premchand Singh alleged that the state government was selectively targeting political opponents instead of addressing crimes against women. “The government is failing to provide justice to our daughters and is instead jailing those who raise their voices,” Singh said.

Another party worker, Arti Rai, demanded Yadav’s immediate release, describing him as a grassroots leader with strong public support. “The way he has been treated by the government is unfair,” she said.

The protest also drew reactions from leaders of the opposition alliance. Earlier in the day, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav criticised the arrest, alleging a breakdown of the rule of law in the state.

“Dictatorship has been established in the state. While criminals are going scot-free, the non-guilty are being trapped,” Tejashwi Yadav told reporters.

The Congress said it would continue to oppose what it termed as the “politicisation of law enforcement” and warned of intensified protests if Yadav was not granted relief. The NDA government has not yet issued a detailed response to the allegations raised during Sunday’s demonstration.