"The state government has been evicting poors from various areas on the pretext of anti-encroachment drive," he told reporters here.
The former Bihar chief minister was referring to last year's anti-encroachment drive in Ranchi, Dhanbad and other places in Jharkhand and the recent July 4 clash between police and villagers of Nagri over land acquisition for construction of educational institutions in the area.
Praising BJP leader Yashwant Sinha for opposing the encroachment drive in Ranchi last year, Prasad said the Munda government has made anti-encroachment drive a regular feature to displace the poor.
The state government had maintained that the anti- encroachment drive was taken up last year on the directions of the high court.
Chief Minister Arjun Munda yesterday set up a high-level committee to initiate dialogue with the agitating villagers of Nagri.
