Gopalganj/Siwan, Jan. 31: The Nishchay Yatra of chief minister Nitish Kumar that rolled to Gopalganj today witnessed awkward moments when a group of sanitation workers waved black flags and shouted slogans against him.

The protesters arrived at the chief minister's public meeting at Lachchuar in Thave block in Gopalganj, around 150km northwest of Patna, ahead of time and took position among the audience. A few of them, including women, waved black flags and raised slogans seeking his reply on their "exploitation".

Deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav was delivering a speech at the time of the incident and the sudden development threw security personnel into a tizzy. They rushed to the protesters, cornered them and removed them from the venue.

"The sanitation workers are attached to Gopalganj municipality. They alleged they have not been paid for the past five months and resorted to protest purportedly to attract attention of the government. No FIR has been lodged against them. They were allowed to leave the venue after the incident," a senior government official who was present at the public meeting said.

Nitish said the Grand Alliance was implementing the "seven resolves for a developed Bihar". He said the decision to enforce prohibition was benefiting the society. Sale of milk and milk products, clothes and sewing machines has increased after the liquor ban.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY RAKESH K SINGH IN CHHAPRA