Daijiworld Media Network - Patna
Patna, Jun 29: A potentially serious incident was narrowly avoided on Sunday when a drone crashed into the podium while Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav was addressing a large gathering at Gandhi Maidan during the ‘Save Waqf – Save Constitution’ rally. Tejashwi managed to duck just in time as the drone, used for event coverage, hurtled toward the stage and fell, briefly disrupting the event.
Security personnel immediately intervened, removing the drone and restoring order. The rally resumed shortly after the brief commotion.
During his address, Tejashwi came down heavily on the BJP, accusing the party of plotting to strip marginalized communities of their voting rights. He alleged that names of the poor, backward, Dalit, tribal, and minority voters were at risk of being systematically removed from electoral rolls.
“The BJP will attempt to erase the names of the underprivileged from the voter list. We must remain vigilant,” he warned, referring to the Election Commission's push to revise the voter list of 8 crore people in just 25 days. He urged attendees to ensure that no names are wrongly deleted, cautioning that such exclusions could lead to the denial of essential services like pensions, rations, scholarships, and other welfare benefits.
Tejashwi emphasized national unity and secularism, reminding the crowd that Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians had all made sacrifices for India's freedom. “This country belongs to everyone. No party or family owns India,” he declared.
The event saw participation from several INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress veteran Salman Khurshid. The conference called for collective resistance against what speakers described as a broader attempt to undermine democratic institutions and minority rights.
This drone mishap marked the second close call for Tejashwi in recent weeks. Earlier, he had escaped injury when a glass door shattered due to crowd pressure at a youth event in Patna's Bapu Auditorium.
Despite the disruptions, Tejashwi concluded his address, calling on citizens to unite in defence of their constitutional rights, electoral voice, and community representation.