The shocking sexual exploitation of 34 inmates, mostly minor girls, in the Muzaffarpur shelter home in Bihar, led to an uproar in the lok Sabha on Monday with the Opposition charging destruction of evidence and seeking that the report of 14 more such homes be made public by the State Government.
The Opposition parties which included the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Trinamool Congress staged a walkout after Union Home Minister did not speak on the issue as demanded by them.
Ranjeet Ranjan (Congress) , Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav (RJD) , Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress ) and Sugata Roy (TMC) raised the issue of the rape of the minor in the shelter home of Bihar over a period of four years. Ranjan and Yadav both rushed to the well of the house and raised slogans.
As Government pointed that CBI was looking into the issue, Ranjan asked what would CBI do if evidence is to be wiped out. Speaking during the zero hour ,she alleged that the main victim in the case had vanished and children were being shifted out after medical examination.
Yadav alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led State Government colluded with the perpetrators. “The girls were treated like toys. The evidence has been tampered with. There is direct involvement of the State Government,” he said.
The RJD MP said investigation report of 14 more shelter homes is yet to be made public. Alleging that First Information Reports in the cases were being changed and the Government was sheltering the accused.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan agreed that the matter raised by the members was sensitive and that Government should take cognizance of the issues raised by the members. She pointed out that CBI probe was already underway and wondered whether Government would respond to the issue.
Several members including those from the TDP were in the well of the house with Kharge, MB Rajesh (CPM) and other Opposition members on their feet demanding Home Minister Rajnath Singh to respond on the issue.
At this point, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the CBI probe into the case will be fair and the Home Minister will be informed of the members’ sentiments.
However, members of the Congress, the RJD and the TMC staged a walkout with Kharge alleging suppression of evidence and seeking home minister’s reply.
Prior to this, the House proceedings was adjourned for 10 minutes as Congress and other Opposition members created a ruckus over the issue.
However, the Speaker did not allow Opposition members to continue discussing the case, saying since it is already being probed by the CBI there was no need to discuss the issue everyday.