For the first time in the ruling NDA, voice has been raised over the infamous rape of minor girls in shelter home at Muzaffarpur with demand for resignation of the Social Welfare Minister.
Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader CP Thakur on Sunday said that owing the moral responsibility of the sexual harassment of the destitute girls at the government funded shelter home Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma should resign.
So far only the opposition had been making this demand and hurling accusation on at least two Ministers of Nitish Kumar Government for their role in the incident, this is the first time that an NDA leader raised this issue. The Rajya Sabha member and former Bihar BJP president Dr Thakur said, “Such a heinous crime on such a large scale was going on for long and the department concerned was not aware about it; it is very surprising. This is the total irresponsibility of the social welfare department.” He also added that criminal irregularities were going on in other institutions run under this department.
“Manju Verma should think over and resign owing moral responsibility. If she is found innocent in the inquiry she could be reinstated in the ministry. Her resignation will send a positive sign,” said Dr Thakur, a former Union Health Minister. Verma is from the JD(U) in he ministry.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who broke his silence on this raging issue first time on Friday, reiterated that nobody named in this case would be spared. Hitting out at the Opposition, which held a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday which was also attended by AICC president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and leaders of various parties, Nitish said he was least bothered about what they were saying and doing. “Our Government is working and no culprit will be allowed to go scot free. The culprits will go to jail and those trying to protect them will also be punished,” the CM said sternly.
Nitish was also critical of the media and said it should not adopt full negative attitude and should also give space to positive aspects and work of the Government. He said the case has already been handed over to the CBI and his Government was in favour of the monitoring of the probe by the Patna high court and will soon approach the court with the request.
JD(U) spokesman Sanjay Singh said the RJD sponsored dharna had no purpose and message and it aimed only to make Tejashwi Yadav as a poster boy of the opposition. “Justice is done through official measures not from Jantar Mantar. You (Tejashwi) did this dharna for photo-op and candle lighting while our Government takes action,” he said.