The main opposition RJD launched a fresh offensive against Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar by issuing a charge-sheet and holding him responsible for "criminal neglect".
PATNA: The main opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday launched a fresh offensive against Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar by issuing a charge-sheet and holding him responsible for the "criminal neglect" that led to breach in Kusaha afflux bund on August 18 that affected over 30 lakh people in five north-east districts of the state.
Issuing a 26-point chargesheet against Kumar at party headquarters here senior RJD leader and former Water Resources Development (WRD) minister, Jagdanand Singh said that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has "committed a criminal offence by failing to protect the spurs having a life span of one year leading to the breach of the Kosi embankment."
"I reiterate my charge that Kumar has committed a criminal offence by telling a lie to the people of Bihar and the Centre that the all embankments were safe till August 17, now he is trying to wash of his hands from his 'crime' by ordering a judicial probe into the upkeep of the embankment by former state governments since 1953."
Now that Kumar has been charge-sheeted for his offence the decision about pronouncing the quantum of punishment will be taken by the people's court and "I have no no hestiation in saying that people would award him capital punishment for risking the life of over 30 lakh people by failing to protect the spurs that caused the breach."
Singh dared Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to reply to his 26 point querries and said that he was prepared to have a public debate with Kumar on the issue of Kosi breach at a place and time fixed by Kumar.
The state government was also not justified in setting up a judicial inquiry as the union ministry of water resources development (gang wing) had already constituted a 10-member high level team on August 29 to find out the reasons behind the cause of the breach in Kosi eastern afflux bund, Singh said.
The 26-point chargesheet issued by Singh said that liasion officer of state irrigation department in Nepal Aurn Kumar was camping in Patna on August 14 as the fax machine was disconnected due to non-payment and was busy coaxing the state irrigation officers to release the fund for payment of salaries of the staff.
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