FIR against RJD, JD(U) MlAs filed
Some of the recent unlawful activities by the ruling party JD(U) and their new found alliance partner RJD leaders have prompted the State BJP leaders to remind people of the State that the “jungle raj-2” has already descended in Bihar.
An FIR was finally filed against a Minister in the Manjhi Government on Friday allegedly for capturing a Government land while police cases have been earlier lodged against two alliance parties MlAs in cases of violence and extortion.
The Samastipur district police said that an FIR has been lodged against the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Baidyanath Sahni over violent clashes between the villagers and his supporters three days back.
The Minister along with his scores of supporters allegedly had gone to the Nikashpur village in Samastipur to lay foundation stone of a petrol pump at the land reportedly belonged to a local college.
The villagers opposed the Minister’s move to “usurp the Government land” but his supporters clashed with them and violence took place at the site. Several people were injured and altogether nine vehicles were burnt.
The Minister of Jeetan Ram Manjhi Cabinet Baidyanath Sahni had to take shelter in a room in the college to escape the ire of violent villagers.
“A total of 12 FIRs have been lodged in this connection and the Minister too has been named in one of them. Besides, nine FIRs have been filed by owners of the burnt vehicles,” said police official Sanjay Kumar.
Similarly, a ruling party JD(U) MlA from Amnour constituency in Saran district Krishna Kant Singh recently hit the headlines for beating over half a dozen engineers who were at his work in Sitab Diara village of the district.
The reports said that the MlA and his bodyguards along with supporters had thrashed the engineers severely which later forced them to withdraw from their work and demand action against the MlA.
later an FIR was also lodged against the JD(U) MlA and his bodyguards for beating up six engineers from water resources department on Thursday.
“An FIR has been lodged against the MlA and his bodyguards at the Rivilganj police station of the district. The bodyguards have been asked to report to the police lines,” said Kundan Kumar, Saran District Magistrate.
“I’ve asked my officials to submit a report on the incident. The MlA should not have interfered in the work of the engineers. Action will definitely be taken against the guilty", said the State Water Resources Minister Vijay Chaudhury.
Meanwhile, the Bihar Engineering Services Association (BESA) has demanded the MlAs arrest and expulsion from the House. “If no action will be taken against the MlA within 72-hours, the anti-erosion work in the entire State will be stopped,” said Chankya Kumar Singh, BESA general secretary.
The MlA, however, said it as a “conspiracy” against him by the truant engineers.
In yet another such incident, a police case was recently registered against RJD MlA from Bakhtiyarpur, Aniruddha Prasad for demanding extortion from a private contractor.
The RJD MlA allegedly had demanded Rs 20 lakh as extortion money from the contractor engaged in road construction in the constituency.
The contractor Sunil Singh had lodged an FIR with Salimpur police station on last Monday accusing the RJD MlA for demanding Rs 20 lakh as extortion from him.
“The MlA came at the construction site and directed his gun-toting men to assault the construction workers and threatened me with dire consequences if I'll not pay him the extortion money", said the contractor Sunil Singh.
later, the police even quizzed the MlA on Wednesday in the case.
Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP has charged that ever since the alliance between the JD(U) and RJD has been struck criminals have become emboldened in the State signaling the return of "jungle raj-2 in Bihar".
While raising the issue of Samastipur during Zero Hour in the State Assembly on Friday, leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav demanded resignation of State Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Baidyanath Sahni till he was cleared of the charges.
"After it came closer to the RJD, the JD-U Government has completely failed to maintain law and order in the State", said Nand Kishor Yadav.
When protested the BJP leaders later trooped in the well and shouted slogan like "Jungle Raj-2 has returned to the State".
"All these incidents of recent past in which FIRs have been lodged against a Minister and MlAs from both the parties of JD(U) and RJD it seems that Jungle Raj-2 has already descended in the State", said State BJP chief Mangal Pandey.
later, however, the State Chief Minister Jeetan Ram Manjhi assured media persons that action would be taken against all those found guilty in the case.
"We'll see these cases further. The Minister should have followed some restraint but if he will be found guilty action will be taken against him", Manjhi told media persons.