Nitish failing to ensure law and order
By Arun Srivastava
The feudal mindset in Bihar is not restricted to the upper caste landed gentry. The neo rich people even belonging to the intermediate castes have been more ruthless in their approach and action. On Saturday Rocky Yadav, son of the Janata DalUnited Member of Legislative Council Manorama Devi shot dead the 20 year old Aditya Sachdeva, a class 12 student simply because he dared to overtake his vehicle near police line in Bihar’s Gaya district.
Poor Aditya was not aware that the person in the other car was the maker of his destiny. By overtaking the car Aditya had hurt the prestige and honour of Rocky, son of a famous criminal, to such an extent that he retaliated with brutal force to refurbish his image and of his parents’. For him this is manifestation of their right to behave as they will and do what they want. Over the years such minds have proliferated in Bihar. On his return from Kerala, the chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday accused the BJP of unnecessarily politicizing the Gaya road rage case involving ruling JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi’s son. He also assured the people of the state that police would not spare anyone found guilty in the case. Of course the police arrested the MLC’s husband Bindeshawri Yadav, alias Bindi Yadav and her bodyguard Rajesh, it could not succeed to lay its hand on Rocky till the MLC came forward to lead the police to Bindi’s farm house where he was hiding.
What transpires is that Manorama relented under the political pressure. Though on Monday Nitish had reiterated, “Police have complete ‘azadi’ (freedom) in investigation and anybody found guilty in the case will not be spared,” the administration was not moving fast until political pressure forced Nitish to get Rocky arrested.
Aditya’s killing has many important dimensions: while it underlines that the politicians treat themselves above the law, the police administration is nonexistent. It is shocking indeed that the police body guard of Manorama helped and aided Rocky in killing Aditya. This points to complete lawlessness and absence of fear of rule of law. If there has been a rule of law and the police functioned under the control of the government, this situation must not have arisen and the guard should not have helped Rocky to accomplish the task.
People are skeptical of police role. They point out that after taking over the office, Nitish at least on four occasions pulled up the police and its top brasses, directed them to completely smash the reign and rules of criminals, but ironically the criminals continue to call the shots and dictate the political actions. Apparently the police establishment has not responded to the directives and desires of Nitish. Even on Monday he said that arm of law was quite long and no criminal would go scot free. But sad enough the long handed law took at least three days to reach the culprit. The reason for a change in public perception about the Nitish Kumar-led government is that criminals defy the police and engage in criminal activities in the public domain. “Sarkar ka iqbal khatna ho gaya hai (the government has lost its authority)” is a common refrain.
It is pure case of misuse of the police security. The fact is the bodyguards are not merely a symbol of personal security and prestige for VIPs in Bihar, they have become the tools of carrying out unlawful acts by VIPs and their kin..Rajesh was arrested and subsequently sent to jail for his complicity with the MLC’s son Rakesh “Rocky” Ranjan, the accused. True enough Rajesh, a constable of the Gaya district police force, was not supposed to accompany Rocky in the Land Rover. He not only violated the rules but also remained a silent spectator when Rocky shot Aditya dead..Being a policeman he should have prevented Rocky from indulging in killing. What is worse he even concealed the incident and helped the accused to flee. Rajesh is not an isolated case. This has been the usual feature of the functioning of the bodyguard system. The body guards are in fact the personal domestic servants of the political elites and bureaucrats.
Nitish got angry with his political opponents for their allegation that Jungle Raj has set in Bihar. But the fact is he cannot outright deny this allegation. During the last six months, the crime has attained new dimension. Only during January 2016, around 200 murders have taken place in state besides 15160 cognisable offences; dacoity 34, robbery 129, riots 170 and kidnapping 581. This certainly does not go well with Nitish’s claim to provide good governance. During the last six months, a large number of killings and murders have taken place. The incidents have happened notwithstanding strict warnings of the chief minister.
During the assembly elections, the BJP had been accusing of return of second phase of Jungle Raj as Lalu Yadav was the major partners of the grand alliance. Apprehensions were expressed that Nitish would not be able to handle the muscle power of his ally Lalu Yadav’s outfit RJD. But what we see in the present context is the law breakers are Nitish’s own colleagues and comrades. Bindi and Manorama were earlier with RJD and Bindi was involved in many criminal cases. Bindi Yadav charged in 2011 with sedition for storing 6,000 rounds of assault rifle bullets -was arrested for “harbouring” the killer. True enough Nitish should have been more prudent in admitting the couple in his party. Instead he enrolled them as members of the JD(U). As if this was not enough, he made Manorama a member of the Legislative Council.
Nitish Kumar’s biggest USP has been law and order control and good governance. The image-conscious CM has been trying to arrest the drift but the results are not showing yet. The killing by the JD(U) MLC is bound to further embarrass Nitish Kumar and escalate attacks against his government for deteriorating law and order. What is most scandalous is the incident took place in front of the police guard, but he did not tell Rocky not to indulge in such action.
Nitish Kumar is known for using every opportunity to exhibit his achievement of improving the state’s law and order situation. Nonetheless in recent times, there has been a sharp rise in crimes, especially those against women. This has put Kumar in a piquant position. In 2005, when Kumar took the reins of Bihar, his first meeting was with the senior police and administrative officers. In that meeting, he gave clear instructions that all measures be taken to ensure rule of law in the state, which had been notorious for murders, kidnappings and other heinous crimes. Interestingly the police adroitly carried out his instructions, but the same police establishment is not willing to give its full to the state and respond to Nitish. In the prevailing situation the onus lies on Nitish to reactivate the police and put the Machiavellians in proper place. (IPA Service)