Patna (Bihar) [India], June 4 : Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor sharply criticised the state's leadership during his ongoing Bihar Badlav Yatra, alleging a collapse in law and order due to ineffective governance.
Speaking on the deteriorating situation, Kishor stated that Bihar's leadership is failing due to the chief minister's inability to govern effectively, with corrupt officers and a few ministers exploiting the system.
"The law and order situation in Bihar is deteriorating because the state's leadership is ineffective. When a physically and mentally unfit person occupies the top position, the government lacks authority, and no one is truly governing. A few corrupt officers and ministers are solely focused on exploiting the government and the public. The worsening law and order is evident, yet has anyone heard of Nitish Kumar holding a high-level meeting to review the situation? There's no discussion," he remarked.
He further highlighted a tragic case of a Dalit girl from the Kudni area, who suffered due to the lack of timely medical care.
"The case of the Dalit girl from the Kudni area, who suffered for four days in Muzaffarpur Medical College, is more horrific than the Nirbhaya case. It took a day to get her admitted to PMCH, and the Health Minister speaks grandly without shame. People are reporting that this girl, a Dalit who was raped, her throat and tongue cut, suffered in an ambulance for four to seven hours awaiting admission, yet the Health Minister continues to talk big," he said.
Criticising Health Minister Mangal Pandey, Prashant Kishor said, "The people of Bihar witnessed this man's actions even during the COVID crisis. While the entire state was suffering, he and others sat comfortably, enjoying themselves in their bungalows. Now the time has come to uproot these people, as they are not the ones who will bring improvement."
This comes after a 10-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped and attacked on May 26 in Muzaffarpur, succumbed to her injuries at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on June 1. Her relatives alleged that the child was left waiting in an ambulance for several hours before she was admitted to the hospital.
On Monday, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey condemned the alleged rape and brutal assault of a minor girl in Muzaffarpur as "extremely sad and painful," assuring that immediate action has been taken and justice would be delivered through a speedy trial.
His remark comes amid mounting public anger and political outrage after the victim, attacked on May 26, succumbed to her injuries at a Patna hospital on June 1.
"Soon after the incident, the accused was arrested. The Muzaffarpur SSP has assured that a chargesheet will be filed promptly and a speedy trial will follow to ensure justice," Pandey said.
The accused had been arrested and sent to judicial custody, said Muzaffarpur SSP Sushil Kumar on Monday.
"This incident occurred on May 27... The accused lived in a neighbouring village and knew them. He used to come there often. He was a fish seller. He lured the girl and raped her. Taking swift action, the Police arrested the accused. He has been sent to judicial custody. The FSL team had gone there, and the spot was examined. All samples have been collected, including samples from clothes, too," Kumar said.
"We have sent all of this to FSL for examination. Besides this, we will file a chargesheet within 15 days. This will be brought under a speedy trial, so that we can take whatever further action is required," he added.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports detailing the tragic death of the victim on June 1 at PMCH, and has sought a detailed report from the state authorities.