Ravishankar Prasad attacks Nitish over 'climate of fear'

Patna: Strongly condemning string of killings, including that of state BJP leader Visweshawar Ojha, Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad on Saturday asked Nitish Kumar as to why a climate of fear has been created in Bihar within three months of his forming government with RJD.

“When Nitish Kumar was with BJP, there was total control over crime situation. But why within three months of forming government with RJD of Lalu Prasad 'khauf ka mahaul' (climate of fear) has been created in Bihar?” Prasad asked. Making a scathing attack against Kumar, the Union minister told reporters that on Friday the CM held a review meeting with senior officials and gave direction to check crime but by evening state BJP vice president Visweshwar Ojha was shot dead.

Earlier, Saran district BJP leader Kedarnath Singh was killed and before that LJP leader Brijnathi Singh was gunned down in Patna, he said. Prasad, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Bihar, asked the CM, “You returned to power with thumping majority after forming new political relations. But what is happening is that crime is going out of control. Have you lost control over police within three months?” he asked.

“The contrasting situation establishes that your sushan strength was because of BJP”, he said. Asked to comment if there was constitutional breakdown in Bihar, Prasad said since he was a Union minister he would not comment on the subject at this time. “But, we will expect from the CM to initiate firm action to stop tarnishing the image of Bihar due to bad law and order”, he said.

Asked to comment on the arrest of JNU president in the wake of Congress and other parties opposing his arrest, Prasad said, “It is not possible not to initiate action when slogan against the nation is being raised in the capital of the country.”

PTI