By Manoj Pathak

Patna, May 27 (IANS): The Bihar government's decision to impose restrictions on the movement of Ministers in their respective constituencies or the districts during the lockdown period has not gone down well with the BJP leaders.

The Bihar government issued a letter on May 23, restraining Ministers who were assigned as the Ministers in-charge during the lockdown period.

The Cabinet Secretariat department issued letters to the Private Secretaries of all the Ministers, asking them not to visit their constituencies to inspect medical facilities or any scheme during the lockdown phase to check the spread of Covid-19.

Sources said that on Wednesday the BJP MLAs and MPs in a virtual meeting expressed displeasure over this directive. Discussions to hold programmes on the completion of seven years of the Modi government was the agenda of the meeting, but the leaders expressed resentment at the new instruction.

Sources added that they have accused the Bihar government of strangling democracy. "The decision was dictatorial."

A BJP MLA, on the condition of anonymity, said that the party's state president Sanjay Jaiswal has been constantly working in his area to help people and provide them every facility amid the pandemic.

Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad had inspected the community kitchen in Katihar.

However, a senior BJP leader said that it is only a matter of days and the leaders should not escalate the matter.

Amid the rising Covid cases, the Bihar government has extended the lockdown till June 1.