Patna: Union Minister Chirag Paswan has written to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, raising questions on the state`s law and order situation and public health infrastructure even as LJP (RV) chief attacked the state government at a time when assembly polls are only months away.
Chirag has lashed out at the Nitish government against the backdrop of a 9-year old Dalit girl losing her life following a brutal rape.
The Dalit girl who was raped and brutally assaulted by the accused in Bihar`s Muzaffarpur district had succumbed to her injuries at the state-run Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Sunday. She was allegedly being made to wait in an ambulance for hours before she was finally admitted to the state`s premier public hospital on Saturday. The hospital administration has rejected these allegations.
The relationship between Nitish and Chirag had soured after LJP leader, son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, fielded candidates on a number of seats against JD (U) candidates in the last assembly election, hitting latter`s chances in 36-40 seats. However, both leaders buried the hatchet as their recent ‘bonhomie’ in public suggested.
Earlier, senior leaders of RJD and Congress had lashed out at Chirag and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi (both Dalit leaders) for keeping mum on the rape-murder incident. Both parties also demanded resignation of state health minister and senior BJP leader Mangal Pandey. While the accused has been arrested, a probe has been ordered into what happened at PMCH.
The heart-rending incident of Dalit girl`s rape and murder exposes the failure of Bihar's law and order, social awareness and public health, Chirag remarked, who is likely to make a formal announcement about contesting assembly election at a public rally, to be held in Ara on Sunday. He is also expected to contest assembly election from the state`s Shahabad region.
Chirag in his letter pointed out that the victim had to wait for six hours before she was admitted to the hospital. He said that doctors, and administrative staff of the hospital were as guilty as the accused in the heinous crime. "They did not provide prompt treatment and lost precious time. This is not just negligence, but a crime against humanity," he wrote.
Chirag said his party's leaders have met the victim's family and assured them justice. "But justice will be incomplete and unacceptable unless strict and transparent action is taken against the accused at the administrative level." He said that an inquiry should be conducted into the alleged negligence of the medical staff.
"It is not simply a matter of death as it has become a symbol of the failure of our social system and a failure of our constitutional responsibility. If the administration stays silent, this silence will become the biggest crime," he asserted
