Shahabuddin row: Does law fail due to incidents of crime, asks Nitish Kumar

With Bihar’s law and order situation being hotly debated in the wake of gangster-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin being released on bail, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said law “never fails” due to incidents of crime and appropriate action is taken against criminals.

“Does law fail due to incidents of crime? Law never fails. Actions are initiated against criminals as per provisions of law,” he said. “Murder takes place despite provision of death sentence. The state government deals with people having criminal mindset stringently and lawfully,” Kumar said after flagging off a rally of JD(U)’s youth wing.

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Shahabuddin’s release from jail was celebrated with much fanfare and has triggered a debate about the law and order situation in the state.

The frenzied celebrations further drew criticism following reports about presence of Mohammad Kaif and Mohammad Javed, the absconding suspects in the murder of journalist Rajdev Ranjan, being present in the cavalcade along with Shahabuddin.

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The opposition BJP and its NDA allies have been attacking the state government over the issue. As part of its sustained agitation, it is staging sit-in demonstrations across the state today demanding arrest of Shahabuddin.

The JD(U) youth wing rally, which will end at Bhithiharwa Ashram in East Champaran district, from where Mahatama Gandhi had launched his Champaran Satyagrah, aims to achieve a “Sangh mukt(free) and alcohol free society.” It is part of the centenary celebration of the Champaran Satyagrah.

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Kumar urged workers of the JD(U) youth wing to spread the message of Mahatma Gandhi to the people. JD(U)’s state chief Basistha Narayan Singh, ministers Krishnandan Varma and Maheshwar Hazari and deputy leader in the Legislative Assembly Shyam Rajak were present.

Mentioning the imposition of prohibition in the state, the Chief Minister asked those opposing liquor ban to visit the poor and study the positive impact prohibition had in their lives.

He said the revised liquor law, which includes stringent provisions like arrest of adult family members on recovery of liquor in the house and community penalty, would come into action from October 2.