Kushwaha launches fresh attack against Nitish Kumar govt

Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha launched a fresh attack against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday, alleging that his government was making claims of good governance, while remaining oblivious to the prevailing "lawlessness" in the state.

The fresh outbursts of Kushwaha came during his visit to Paliganj on the outskirts of the city, where he had gone to meet the bereaved family members of his party's block president, Amit Bhushan alias Kuttu, who was gunned down Tuesday night at a public function, where a number of police officials were present.

After consoling the bereaved family members, Kushwaha told reporters, "Such incidents have become a daily occurrence. And if claims of good governance are being made amidst such lawlessness, then it means that those in power have some peculiar definition of the term."

Sub Divisional Police Officer, Paliganj, Manoj Kumar Pandey told PTI over phone, "Bhushan was fired at from a distance of about 100 metres in Mera village, where the SHO of the police station concerned, along with other personnel, was present since the village is Naxal-infested."

He said the assailants, numbering two, ran away taking advantage of the darkness, adding that their identity was yet to be ascertained since none of the close aides of Bhushan or another person who was injured in the firing and was out of danger now had come up with a complaint against anybody.

 

However, an FIR was lodged and the matter was being probed, Pandey said.

Meanwhile, rebel RLSP MP Arun Kumar, who was suspended from the party two years ago, following which he had floated a new outfit a few months back, came out in support of Kushwaha and attacked Kumar for allegedly calling the Union minister "neech" (lowly).

The Jehanabad MP also lashed out at Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi for defending Kumar on the issue.

Kumar had, at a function organised by a private television news channel here earlier this month, refused to comment on Kushwaha, saying he did not wish to "lower the standard" of the discourse.

The RLSP chief took offence, claiming that it was tantamount to him being called "lowly".

Sushil Modi, however, came out with a tweet, asserting that Kumar's statement was made in his presence and that he had never called anybody lowly, and indirectly accused Kushwaha of posing like a "martyr".

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and MLC Prem Chandra Mishra urged Kushwaha to realise that "he stands to gain nothing and lose everything while in the NDA. He should join our Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), where he will get due respect."

The opposition Grand Alliance comprises the Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Hindustani Awam Morcha of Jitan Ram Manjhi, who walked out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in February.