A series of heinous crimes during the past two months, since the Mahagathbandhan Government led by Nitish Kumar assumed office, has surprised and shocked the common people who had been living in peace and fearless atmosphere for about a decade or so. The Chief Minister during this period had been extensively busy holding review meetings of various departments, issuing instructions to the officials and reiterating that rule of law would continue to prevail, but his firm grip on the governance seemingly loosened. Or he is under pressure from the allies particularly RJD that is restraining him to act firmly.
The Opposition thinks so. The BJP on Tuesday asked the CM to act not only against the criminals but also his MlAs who are taking law into their hands. “Nitish has become a ‘bechara’ (helpless) CM in front of such elements,” lamented senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who is continuing attacking the two-month old Government almost every day.
The former Deputy CM said, “People were apprehensive of the return of jungle raj because of RJD, a dominant partner of the Government, but now the JD(U) MlAs are flexing muscle unchallenged and making mockery of the so-called rule of law.”
The Government is facing serious challenge to maintain law and order in the wake of some sensational murders and reports of abduction and ransom. If it was not enough, its own MlAs are heaping humiliation on it with their misadventures. Rupauli MlA and former Minister Bima Bharti is accused to getting her gangster husband Awadhesh Mandal freeing from police station and taking him away in her car. Jokihat MlA Sarfaraz Alam has been booked by Patna GRP for his sexual advances against a lady passenger in Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express. Both the MlAs from Seemanchal region are known for their muscle and fire power.
“If you say rule of law is prevailing why you are shy of taking action against your MlAs who are flouting rules,” Modi asked Nitish and said he should come up to his words. Modi who did not back the Hindustani Awam Morcha demand for imposition of President Rule in Bihar however said a BJP delegation would meet Governor Ramnath Kovind requesting his intervention to check spiraling crime. BJP spokesman Sanjay Singh Tiger said Bihar could not be free from criminals unless they get Government patronage. He said, “During the last 60 days 14 big criminal incidents took place and six people were killed for not paying ransom.”
The CM also seems to be shy of facing media. He is yet to resume his weekly janata darbar where he would hold interaction with media. He has rarely attended any public programme and participated only in a few official functions.
Reacting to Nitish’s invite to the investors, Modi said the investors were keeping away from Bihar after learning about the series of killings and extortion reports and in fact those engaged here were planning to move out. “Over 10,000 people were convicted through speedy trial in 2010 during NDA rule but the figure has come down to 6,000 in 2014,” he said and added that policing in the districts was anything but satisfactory.