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Covid-19 lockdown: Bihar feast stirs political row, FIR filed
Chief minister Nitish Kumar has repeatedly urged people to follow the lockdown guidelines and turned down requests from opposition parties to bring back Bihar residents, including students and workers, stranded in other parts of the country.
A formal police complaint has been lodged against Bihar education minister Krishna Nandan Verma’s personal assistant for allegedly organising a house-warming party amid the Covid-19 lockdown, according to officials.
Adding to the government’s discomfort was a video clip --- purportedly capturing visuals from party --- that went viral on social media.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar has repeatedly urged people to follow the lockdown guidelines and turned down requests from opposition parties to bring back Bihar residents, including students and workers, stranded in other parts of the country.
A police officer said the party was organised in Jehanabad, which is Verma’s hometown, on April 15. Several officials of the local administration and journalists participated in it, officials said.
Taking cognizance of reports, the government asked the police headquarters to inquire into the matter. After the reports were confirmed, a first information report (FIR) was filed on Sunday against the minister’s personal assistant (PA), Pintu Yadav, and several officials, including Jehanabad’s sub-divisional police officer, block development officer and circle officer.
“The minister’s PA threw a house-warming party and a large number of people, in batches of 50 and 100, took part in it. The officials also admitted having attended the party, as the invitation was from the minister’s PA,” the police officer said on condition of anonymity.
“Many journalists also enjoyed the feast. As the FIR was lodged under bailable sections, all officials got bail but the investigation is on. A charge-sheet will soon be filed. The officials will also face departmental proceedings,” the officer added.
Jehanabad’s superintendent of police Manish Kumar said action is being taken in the matter. Another police officer, who declined to be named, said the list of all the people who attended Yadav’s party is being drawn up.
Soon after the incident came to light, the minister said he had received information that the block and district officials, who were busy distributing relief materials, had been requested by the people of his hometown to have lunch as a mark of respect.
“I don’t know if social distancing was maintained. If there is anything wrong, there will be a proper investigation,” he said.
However, the opposition parties criticised the state government.“The government must walk the talk. If this is what a senior minister’s PA does within the state and barely 75 km from Patna, it does not set the right example and the call to adhere to the lockdown will become meaningless,” said Congress legislator and spokesman Premchandra Mishra.
