Bihar Minister Vinod Singh on Thursday clarified his stand on not being present for the last rites of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawaan Mujahid Khan, who lost his life in Srinagar’s Karan Nagar attack on Monday.
Singh said, “I have saluted him from the core of my heart. My presence would have made no difference. My attending his last rites would not have made him alive.â€
Vinod Singh, who is the minister for mines in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, defended himself blatantly for not visiting Khan’s village and attending his last rites.
Singh was said to be celebrating Valentine’s Day with his wife Nisha Singh on Tuesday when hundreds of people were bidding the last farewell to the martyr. A viral picture of Singh holding a red rose with wife went viral on the internet.
Bihar Minister Vinod Singh talks about not being present for the last rites of CRPF's Mujahid Khan (lost his life in Srinagar's Karan Nagar), says, 'kal hi jaake kya fayda hota, maine dil se unko salute kiya hai, aur kal hi jaake kya hum unko zinda kar dete?' pic.twitter.com/r4Tt5KImyb
— ANI (@ANI) February 15, 2018
Earlier on Wednesday, the family of the martyr jawaan refused to accept a compensation of Rs 5 Lakh offered to them by the Bihar government. The last rites of Mujahid were performed at Bhojpur’s Piro village.
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Imtiyaz Khan, the elder brother of martyr Mujahid Khan, said, “We have denied the offer. It is not about money it is about respect and equality. He died serving the nation, fighting terrorists and the Bihar government is comparing his supreme sacrifice with that of desi-liquor victims by offer Rs 5 lakhs. For the similar duty, why is there a difference? Family members of an army personnel get Rs 11 lakh.â€
Martyr Mujahid Khan was killed while fighting with the Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists in Srinagar’s Karan Nagar on Monday.