Srinagar, Oct 10 (IANS): Bhim Singh, chief of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) and a former legislator, on Saturday accused the BJP of stoking communal passion over beef ban to win the upcoming Bihar polls.

"The BJP is stoking communal passion on the beef ban issue to win the Bihar elections. They are back to their old tricks," he said at a press conference here.

Asked about his views on beef ban, he said: "There is a criminal procedure code called the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) in the state which was enacted in 1864 and if you respect the law, you have to abide by it."

He said it was strange that the National Conference and the Congress were beating their chest over the thrashing an independent MLA got at the hands of BJP legislators for holding a beef party.

He said: "When I was an MLA in 1984 during the G.M. Shah government which was supported by the Congress, I and another legislator, late Abdul Gani Lone would be dragged and thrown out like bags full of potatoes."

His party has called for a protest shutdown in Jammu city on Saturday to support a beef ban in the state.