For the last two weeks the Opposition parties might have been unsparing to Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar over Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case but, it was the ruling alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party which has been putting Mr. Kumar and his government in an embarrassing situation, ahead of the upcoming general election.
On Saturday, the Rashtriya Janata Dal-led protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi slammed the Chief Minister which pinched him most but, the first setback Mr. Kumar and his government had got over Muzaffarpur incident was when Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament that he was ready for the CBI investigation into the incident if the Bihar government willed so.
Mr. Kumar, who was maintaining a silence despite the Opposition demand, recommended for a CBI probe on July 26.
“He (Nitish Kumar) was forced to recommend for a CBI inquiry into the case as the union home minister had already announced for it putting him in an embarrassing situation…Mr Singh had thrown the ball in Nitish Kumar’s court and he has no other choice than to go for the CBI probe”, senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari told The Hindu.
However, on August 1, the second major awkward situation Mr. Kumar faced on the issue was when Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik shot off letters not only to him but also to Union Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad and to the Chief Justice of Patna High Court expressing the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex abuse case of minor girls as “heart rending”, and suggesting measures to prevent such incidents in future.
Apparently much to discomfiture of the Nitish Kumar government, the Public Relation Department of the Governor also ensured that those letters should get adequate coverage in media.
And, since then a few of the media houses said to be close to the ruling BJP, started prime time debate and coverage on the issue asking the party spokesperson why it wouldn’t break up its alliance with Nitish Kumar’s party.
Reacting over Governor’s letter, Mr. Kumar on Monday said, he (Governor) in the letter even has praised state government for prompt action taken in the case.
'Pressure tactics'
However, some state BJP leaders told The Hindu that state unit of the party was not aware that Governor was going to write such letters putting the NDA government in Bihar in an embarrassing situation.
“The script must have been written in Delhi”, quipped one of them.
But, the ruling JD(U) leaders have been reading all these pressure tactics by BJP to corner Nitish Kumar and his party.
“We know it’s been done to put pressure on Nitish Kumar to politically marginalize him so that he cannot bargain for more seats in the run up to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections”, said a JD(U) leader, while quickly adding that, “they’re not politically novice to understand such moves…let the time come and everything will be responded properly”.
Earlier on Sunday seemingly daunted Nitish Kumar appealed to media that it should focus on positive things happening in Bihar also.
“One negative incident happened and you’re (media persons) are talking about it only…you should also focus on positive things happening in Bihar”, said Nitish Kumar at a government programme.
“But, state political analyst Ajay Kumar said “the damage has already been done for Nitish Kumar and his government as far as politics is concerned as Lok Sabha elections are just months away”.