Rohit Pawar tells Chirag Paswan to focus on reducing crimes in Bihar

LJP chief sought President’s Rule in Maharashtra

Nationalist Congress Party MLA Rohit Pawar on Sunday asked Lok Janshakti Party’s (LJP) national president Chirag Paswan to first improve the law and order situation in Bihar, which is witnessing a ‘rise in the number of crimes’ under the Nitish Kumar-led State government in which his party is an ally.

Mr. Pawar’s comments came a day after Mr. Paswan demanded the imposition of President’s Rule in Maharashtra as its law and order situation was deteriorating.

Mr. Paswan had referred to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s action of demolishing illegal alterations at actor Kangna Ranaut’s house in Bandra and said Mumbaikars were worried about their safety.

Mr. Pawar said he was using actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death to create ill will against Maharashtra. He said Mr. Paswan by speaking in the tone of an actress who is trying to launch her political career. Mr. Pawar said, “It is difficult to improve basic infrastructure by taking responsibility for the existing situation. Sad that you are choosing the easy path for your politics,”

Mr. Pawar reminded Mr. Paswan, who has been an actor in Bollywood, that he too must be having an affinity to Mumbai. He said, “The people of Maharashtra will never tolerate you throwing mud on Maharashtra only for your political interests.”

Mr. Pawar said, “I heard that you are worried about the law and order situation in Maharashtra and demanding the Governor to impose President’s Rule in Maharashtra. If you are so supportive of law and order, then why didn’t you demand this for Bihar at the time when crimes against girls in the Muzaffarpur shelter home were unearthed in 2018. You had said that such cases are coming out from many other districts in the State. You did not even demand Nitish [Kumar] ji’s resignation.”

The MLA said the National Crime Records Bureau data show that Bihar’s capital Patna has the top murder rate among 19 big cities. “Patna’s murder rate is 4.4 and is also at the top in killings of our sisters over dowry. In 2018 alone, five senior Right to Information activists were murdered. Many journalists were also killed. Incidents of people being killed by land mafia, and burning of houses are common in Bihar. Wonder why your party is still in the ruling alliance?” he said.