Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday broke into an outburst against the media, while answering questions on the death of an IndiGo airline executive close to his home in Patna, NDTV reported.
Rupesh Kumar Singh, a manager with IndiGo Airlines, was on Tuesday evening shot dead outside his home in Patna. Singh was in his vehicle outside the gate of his home, waiting to be let in, when two men riding a bike shot him dead. The killing took place barely 2 kilometres from the chief minister’s residence in Patna. Singh was reportedly politically well-connected.
Kumar first accused the reporters of “demoralising” the police, by asking “wrong and inappropriate questions”, and then went on to question a reporter, over his allegiance. “You are a great person,” Kumar said, sarcastically. “Whose supporter are you? I am asking you directly.”
“Those who ruled for 15 years...There was so much crime under the husband-wife, why don’t you highlight that?” he said in Hindi, without naming former Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi.
The chief minister claimed that crime rate in the state has reduced, as compared to what it was during the Rashtriya Janata Dal regime. “What used to happen before 2005?” he asked, according to ANI. “There was so much crime. Is it the same today?”
He dismissed claims of poor of law and order in Bihar, asserting that it ranked 23rd among all states, in terms of crime rate. “Law is in place,” he said. “Police are finding out more information. A speedy trial will be done, so that stringent action is taken against the culprit on time.”
Meanwhile RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav tweeted on the incident mocking Kumar.
“Nitish Kumar has surrendered in front of criminals,” he said. “He said nobody can stop crimes. There were crimes during Harappa civilization too. Just compare. Instead he is asking reporters whether they know who the criminals are.”
Another RJD leader Sanjay Yadav tweeted a video of Kumar’s outburst and questioned, in jest, if it was necessary for a reporter in Bihar to be a Bharatiya Janata Party supporter.
Meanwhile, Singh’s brother demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the matter, reported ANI. “Chief minister had given an ultimatum that culprit will be arrested within 48 hours,” said Nandeshwar Singh. “But there has been no arrest. We feel that Patna administration is unable make the arrests, so the probe should be handed over to CBI.” He also demanded that Rupesh Singh’s wife should be given a government job and his children’s education should be taken care of.
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