Spurt in crimes under the nose of the police, ambushing policemen to kill them and similar serious law & order issue are some of the prime concerns staring the new Government in the face.
Political rivals — BJP and JVM — of the coalition partners believe is not possible to address them unless the Government takes some bold measures and scoffed at the intention.
Not mincing his words, BJP State president Ravindra Rai said, “law & order is out of the Government’s control. It will be similar to President’s Rule, which, incidentally, was also Congress’ rule.” Rai termed it a coalition mired in “internal dissension and complications” and advised the Government to accord priority to security concerns of people, while conveying his best wishes.
“The Government needs to give up other businesses and consider ways to save people’s lives,” he said, issuing a caveat that the party would corner the Government in the Assembly and may even push for bringing it down for lapses in law.
For the JVM — another party with an overwhelming presence in the House — winning the people’s confidence on law & order calls for the dispensation taking long strides to distance itself from tainted MlAs. “The Government must end its support to absconding MlAs,” said senior JVM leader Pradeep Yadav. He pointed out, “People in Dhanbad fired in the air the day the Government was formed.”
However, Congress spokesperson Shailesh Sinha brushed aside the Opposition’s apprehensions and was optimistic about strict monitoring of Government policies on security. “Their concern is ill-founded. The day the Government starts functioning, people will see how concerned we are about their safety,” he said.
Sinha added that this was the first occasion the Congress has joined the Government in the State and attempted to dispel the notion on President’s Rule, saying, “President’s Rule is imposed under constitutional provisions. So it was not a Congress Government.”