Saharsa: Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar faced protests in Saharsa on Friday as sanitation workers surrounded his car, blocked his exit and demanded immediate action on unpaid salaries, promotions and working conditions. The minister was attending an NDA conference in Simri Bakhtiyarpur when dozens of sanitation staff climbed on stage with banners and raised slogans of “Give salary, give work, give respect.”
The situation quickly escalated when a worker lay down in front of Shravan’s car, forcing security personnel to intervene. Police removed protesters from the road and escorted the minister away as employees ran after the convoy. The conference had to be cut short amid the uproar.
Workers alleged that they are paid only Rs 3,000 a month as honorarium, with many salaries withheld for months. They warned that their agitation will intensify if demands are ignored.
The incident follows a series of confrontations involving Shravan. On August 27, he and Hilsa MLA Krishna Murari were chased by villagers in Nalanda after a dispute over compensation for accident victims. Just days earlier, on August 25, Health Minister Mangal Pandey’s convoy was attacked with stones in Patna.
