Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has rejected the demand for resignation of his social welfare Minister Manju Verma in the shelter home rape case of Muzaffarpur. Verma's husband is accused of frequently visiting the shelter home.
"Action will be taken against her if any wrong decision was taken at the Minister's level. The inquiry is going on to find out at which level the decisions had been taken. Nobody will be spared," he said and hastily added that analysis of the functioning of the shelter homes in Bihar had been given to Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) by the social welfare department itself.
"Nowhere in the country was such independent inquiry ever held and if it is done irregularities will come out everywhere," he claimed.
Announcing major changes in the policy to run shelter homes for girls, women and boys under the social welfare department, Nitish said he has proposed not to engage NGOs for running the shelter homes.
"The Government will construct the shelter homes to keep the inmates there and appoint staff for their upkeep and maintenance phase wise. Only the Government will run such shelter homes," Nitish announced on Monday in the aftermath of the horrific mass sexual abuse of the minor girls at a shelter home in Muzaffarpur with the reports emanating from there shocked the nation.
The CM also came down heavily on some of his rivals, particularly leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and former JD(U) president Sharad Yadav who had organized a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday on the Muzaffarpur issue.
"The chargesheeted people, the people summoned (by the CBI) and those who have poor opinion of women and had called them "par katti" were holding candles. At such a sensitive issue they showed their insensitivity and were smiling. And what for this dharna wasij There should not be corruption an issue in country's politic! They were not concerned but we are," said a bitter Nitish.
He further said that neither media nor the politicians who were now crying foul had ever raised a finger of accusation on the NGO running the shelter home in Muzaffarpur which was owned by a media person (Brajesh Thakur) who had connection with politicians of a different hue. "They are free to make political attacks but they should not forget that there can be counter-attacks," he warned.
On being asked about the letter written by Governor Satyapal Malik to the CM, Union law Minister and Chief Justice of Patna high court on this issue, Nitish said there was nothing abnormal in it. "But ask him why he wrote to law Minister and high court CJij I don't know the purpose," he quipped when insisted by the media.
Asked the Muzaffarpur incident sullied his image, Nitish shock back, "This sullied image of Bihar and each Bihari and that of media too."
Director General of Police K S Dwivedi, who was also present, clarified that the court had not allowed to take the remand of prime accused Brajesh Thakur after his arrest. On his being kept in hospital instead of jail, the top cop said tht referring any prisoner to hospital was the responsibility of the court and it was done at the recommendation of the medical board.
Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said that disagreed with the BJP MPs C P Thakur and Gopal Narain Singh demand for resignation of the Social Welfare Minister , saying it was their r personal opinion.
"BJP does not agree with their statements. There is no use seeking action without any proof. If name of anybody will come up he/she will have to resign," Modi said.