The Bihar Human Rights Commission has sent a show cause notice to a senior police official for alleging that Union Minister Giriraj Singh had links with the banned Ranvir Sena.
The Bihar BJP has demanded the immediate suspension of the official, Superintendent of Police Amitabh Kumar Das, who is attached to the State Human Rights Commission. Distancing itself from the allegations, the BHRC has given him seven days to respond.
On Monday, Mr. Das wrote a letter to the office of the Special Branch (Intelligence wing of the State police) alleging Mr. Singh had links with the erstwhile upper caste private militia, Ranvir Sena.
“The Central Minister has sweet relations with Ranvir Sena. Giriraj Singh glorified its chief Barmeshwar Singh ‘Mukhia’ and called him a follower of Gandhi, when he was shot dead [on June 1, 2012 by unidentified gunmen]. The Minister also visited Mukhia’s native village and paid tributes to him. This is a serious mater and it should be given to the IB for investigation,” charged Mr. Das in his letter.
BHRC Chairman Justice (retired) Bilal Nazki called a meeting with two other members of the commission and issued a show-cause to the SP. BHRC member Mr. Neelmani said the commission had sought an explanation from Mr. Das for using the panel’s letterhead and logo. The BHRC asked him in what capacity he had taken the name of the panel as “the commission has nothing to do with the allegations” made by the SP against the Minister. Mr. Singh, who assumed office on Tuesday in New Delhi, is no stranger to controversy. Three FIRs were filed against him for making hate speeches during parliamentary elections. The Election Commission took serious note of his statement at a public meeting that “those opposing Narendra Modi from becoming Prime Minister are pro-Pakistan. They have no right to live in India” earned him
Always sporting a red dot on his forehead, he was recently in the news when Rs. 1.14 crore in cash and foreign currency, along with jewellery, was stolen from his flat in Patna. Mr. Singh said the money belonged to his cousin.
