Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, April 2
As violence continued for a third consecutive day in BiharSharif and Sasaram, district headquarters of Nalanda and Rohtas, Union Home Minister Amit Shah talked to the Governor, Rajendra V Arlekar and inquired about the latest situation.
On his instructions, central paramilitary forces including ITBP, SSB and CRPF rushed to the communal riot hit areas. Amit Shah cancelled his programmes at Patna and Sasaram, but visited Hisua,45 km from BiharSharif to address a conference of the BJP workers.
He expressed anguish over the violence and said, “Both BiharSharif and Sasaram are burning. Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister is helpless and lost control over administration”. The Union Home Minister said he talked to the Governor this morning and assured him of more central forces to restore normalcy in the affected towns.
JDU took exception to the Home Minister ignoring the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and talking to the Governor on the situation in Bihar. Neeraj Kumar, Principal spokesman of the party alleged that Amit Shah ignored Nitish Kumar only because he was from a backward caste. JDU National President Lallan Singh regretted that the Home Minister violated the federal character of the Constitution by talking to the Governor bypassing the elected Chief Minister.
The Home Minister warned if the NDA was voted to power in Bihar, rioters would be hanged upside down. Bihar Chief Minister has failed in controlling riots, he alleged and said Nitish Kumar was being controlled by men of Lalu Prasad. Jungle Raj has returned to Bihar, courtesy Nitish Kumar in league with Lalu, he added.
Alleging Bihar is going West Bengal way, Home Minister declared doors for Nitish Kumar and JDU President Lallan Singh were closed in the NDA forever.
Meanwhile, six people were injured when a bomb exploded near a mosque in Sasaram. They have been rushed to BHU Hospital at Banaras.
Police have arrested 118 people for their alleged involvement in violence.
All educational institutions in the two towns have been closed till Tuesday. All markets and commercial establishments have also been ordered to be shut.
