Ram Sevak Singh

Patna/Chhapra, May 25: JD (U) MLA Ram Sevak Singh is under a lot of heat. Chief minister Nitish Kumar said the governemnt would not come to his defence.

A day after he allegedly thrashed four youths and kept them in captivity on the assumption that they had voted against his sister-in-law who lost the panchayat polls, Bihar State Human Rights Commission today took suo moto cognisance against the legislator from Hathua in Gopalganj district for his action.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said: “The government will not take sides in this case. The police will investigate and act in accordance with the law against the legislator.”

Already the legislator and three of his bodyguards have been sent behind the bars for beating the youths and taking them hostage at Baleshara village.

The human rights commission issued a notice to Gopalganj superintendent of police that reads: “The incident (as reported in the newspapers) of pouring petrol on the private parts of the body, prima facie, constitutes violation of human rights of the individuals concerned. While the criminal prosecution is underway to ensure justice to the victims, the commission holds the view that they should also be compensated against the assault on them.”

Confirming the issuance of the notice, the commission chairman, Justice S.N. Jha, said the commission would take action in the matter only after going through the report submitted by the SP.

Meanwhile, even the district unit of the BJP strongly condemned the incident, suggesting that Ram Pravesh Singh hardly enjoys any sympathy even in the NDA. The BJP held a meeting at Rajendra High School, Hathuwa, demanding the expulsion of the legislator. The meeting was presided over by Jitendra Rai, an office-bearer of the party’s unit.

The BJP state-level working committee member, Chandra Mohan Rai, said the MLA had punctured NDA’s claim of “good governance”. He demanded Singh’s resignation as an MLA. Chandra Mohan said the BJP would agitate against the MLA and would also raise the issue in the next session of the legislature.

The trading community has refused to respond to the MLA’s supporters’ call for a bandh in Meerganj area against his arrest. A handful of Ram Sevak’s supporters shouted “DM, SP murdabad” on the streets, but the people of the area did not take part in the protest.

Gopalganj district magistrate Pankaj Kumar Pal said a detailed report on the incident involving the Hathuwa MLA and the youths have been sent to the Speaker of the state Assembly. Pal further said the medical report suggested that petrol was poured into the anus of two youths.