->Gotitbro at 17:39, 29 November 2021

2021-11-29T17:39:08Z

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{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
{{ Infobox officeholder
| name = Brij Bihari Prasad
| image=File:Brij_Bihari_Prasad,_former_minister_(Bihar).jpg
| party = [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]]
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Bihar]], [[India]]
| death_date = 13 June 1998
| death_place = [[Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences]], [[Patna]], India
| alma_mater =
| spouse = [[Rama Devi (Bihar politician)|Rama Devi]]
| children =
| office1 = Minister for Science and Technology of [[Bihar]]
| constituency2=
| term_start1 =
| term_end1 =
|term_start2=
}}
'''Brij Behari Prasad''', also spelled '''Brij Bihari Prasad''' (died 13 June 1998) was an Indian politician. A member of the [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]] (RJD) (then [[Janata Dal]]), he had become Minister for Science and Technology in the state of [[Bihar]], where he represented the RJD. He had been arrested for alleged involvement in corrupt admissions to technical institutes and was murdered on 13 June 1998 while being treated at the [[Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences]] in [[Patna]], where he was undergoing treatment while in custody. It was claimed that his death was in retribution for those of Chhottan Shukla and five other people, who had been killed on 4 December 1994 when on their way home from campaigning for the [[1995 Bihar Legislative Assembly election|Bihar Legislative Assembly elections]] that were to take place in 1995.<ref name="outlook 2007">{{cite news |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article/pinned-lynch/235751 |work=Outlook |agency=PTI |title=Pinned Lynch |first=Smita |last=Gupta |date=15 October 2007 |accessdate=2015-06-07}}</ref> Shukla was a gangster from the [[Bhumihar]] community, whereas Prasad was a [[Bania (caste)|Bania]]. Supporters of Prasad were thought to have been responsible for the killing of Shukla.<ref name="outlook 2007" />

==Political career==
Prasad served as science and technology minister in [[Rabri Devi]]'s government and also as energy minister in [[Janata Dal]] government in Bihar. He was known for his muscleman image and was popular among [[Other Backward Class|OBC]]s in his constituency. A close ally to [[Lalu Prasad Yadav]], the influence of Prasad was often used by the [[Janata Dal]] to change the voting behaviour in the areas of his influence. The use of money and muscle power was evident in those days and various political parties including the [[Indian National Congress]] relied upon criminal politicians to ensure victory. Prasad was allegedly involved in the assassination of Devendranath Dubey, a [[Samajwadi Party]] MLA and member of Motihari Lok Sabha constituency in 1996. The assassination preceded winning of Motihari constituency election by [[Rama Devi (Bihar politician) |Rama Devi]], the wife of Prasad. Dubey himself was a proclaimed absconder while Prasad was facing several criminal charges.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NYNICgAAQBAJ&pg=PT194|title= Bihar: is in the Eye of the Beholder
|author= Vijay Nambisan
|publisher= Penguin UK|year= 2001|
isbn=9352141334|page=194|accessdate=2020-12-26}}</ref> The influence of Prasad was witnessed from east [[Champaran]] to [[Muzaffarpur]] district of Bihar. According to Ranbir Sammadar he was credited with ending the crime empire of Devendra Dubey, the Congress leader who later shifted his allegiance to Samajwadi Party.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zA2rCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT175|title= Government of Peace: Social Governance, Security and the Problematic of Peace
|author=Ranabir Samaddar|publisher= Routledge|year= 2016|
isbn=978-1317125372|page=175|accessdate=2020-12-26}}</ref>

According to local media outlets of Bihar, Prasad ensured the victory of several backward caste candidates against the upper-caste strongmen who dominated their respective constituencies due to their influence and muscle power. These include Munna Shukla, who was defeated by Prasad's nominee Kedar Gupta and Raghunath Pandey who was defeated by Bijendra Chowdhary from Muzaffarpur constituency. The nominees of Prasad viz Basawan Bhagat, Maheswar Yadav and Ramvichar Rai also emerged victorious from their respective constituencies. The climax of his political influence was witnessed after his wife, Rama Devi defeated [[Radha Mohan Singh]] from Motihari.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.janmatkipukar.com/%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B8-%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6/|title=दिन—दुःखियों की अवाज थे वैश्य रत्न बृजबिहारी प्रसाद|website=Janmatkipukar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201226034838/http://www.janmatkipukar.com/%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B8-%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8-%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6/|accessdate=2020-12-26|archive-date=26 December 2020}}</ref>

==Assassination==
Prasad was also known for his tussle with Chhotan Shukla, another gangster and a leader of Bihar People's Party of [[Anand Mohan Singh]]. Shukla was killed while he was returning from his election campaign by the goons who were allegedly working for Prasad. Prasad was earlier arrested for his alleged involvement in BECEE scam and was getting treatment in Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science, [[Patna]]. While he was taking a stroll outside his ward surrounded by the commandos of Bihar military police, a man approached him for getting his favour in proper treatment of his relative. Prasad ordered one of his men to talk to the concerned Doctor to ensure proper remedy to him and moved towards a badly lit corner of parking space. While the commandos approached him towards the parking space, an ambassador car stopped near him and few unidentified gunners opened fire upon Prasad and his men. Three personnel were shot dead on the spot and other ran away except his personal bodyguard Lahmeshwar Shah who was also killed on the spot.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Qwd4I6Q5uMC&pg=PA8|title= Bihar in Flames|author1= S.K. Ghosh|author2= Srikanta Ghosh
|publisher=APH Publishing|year=2000|page=8|
isbn=8176481602|accessdate=2020-12-26}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[List of assassinated Indian politicians]]
*[[Caste politics in India]]
*[[Ashok Mahto gang]]
*[[List of massacres in Bihar]]
*[[Surajbhan Singh]]
*[[Shri Prakash Shukla]]
*[[Vijay Kumar Shukla]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prasad, Brij Behari}}
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:Rashtriya Janata Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Bihari politicians]]
[[Category:Indian murder victims]]
[[Category:Crime in Bihar]]
[[Category:Caste-related violence in Bihar]]
[[Category:People murdered in Bihar]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in India]]
[[Category:People from East Champaran district]]
[[Category:Assassinated Indian politicians]]
[[Category:1990s murders in India]]
[[Category:1998 crimes in India]]
[[Category:1998 murders in Asia]]
[[Category:Janata Dal politicians]]
[[Category:State cabinet ministers of Bihar]]

Brij Behari Prasad - Revision history

->Gotitbro at 17:39, 29 November 2021