Patna, Sept. 3: Water resources department minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh today challenged BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi to either prove that river embankments maintained by his department were breached, or apologise for telling lies. He also asked Sushil to stay within limits or be ready to face legal action.
The angry minister took on the Leader Of Opposition in the Legislative Council after media reports emerged that he had said that embankments under water resources department were breached leading to much loss of lives, and had called for cases against chief minister Nitish Kumar and the department under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) over loss of lives due to floods.
"The statements given by Sushil Kumar Modi are a bundle of lies. He should either provide proof for what he has said or apologise for telling lies. None of our embankments have been breached," Rajiv told mediapersons.
The minister pointed out that water had simply topped an embankment at Lakshmipur in Naugachia sub-division of Bhagalpur district, which led to damaging a nearby road belonging to the rural works department.
Another embankment that he (Sushil) referred to was built under MGNREGA, while embankments were cut by people at Kadwan in Katihar district and Baisi in Purnea district in the presence of the administration to save themselves from getting submerged, the minister said.
"Our engineers and officials have worked round-the-clock and kept all embankments belonging to our department safe. They have done a praiseworthy work, but Sushil is making irresponsible statements. His irresponsible behaviour is increasing and he should stay in limit, else he will be punished legally," Rajiv said.
On the other hand, the BJP leader refused to react to Rajiv's attack and said he will "suitably respond tomorrow".
However, Sushil went on to attack the state government over the bizarre case of the arrest of JDU president of Harnaut block in Nalanda district, Chandradeep Kumar Sen, after alleged recovery of liquor from his house at Lohra village by excise officials, and a subsequent clean chit given to him by the district administration.
"As per our information, 168 bottles of liquor was recovered from Chandradeep alias Moti Singh's house. His wife is a mukhiya of a panchayat. The district administration hurried to give him a clean chit because he is a ruling party member, and instead interrogated the excise officials, including its district superintendent there," Sushil alleged.
The senior BJP leader further alleged that the district administration, including the police, pressured the excise officials to reveal the name of the informant in the case, which has to be kept secret, and later on implicated and arrested former mukhiya Sumendra Singh, who is a resident of the same village by showing recovery of a few empty liquor bottles.
Excise sub-inspector Deepak Kumar was arrested on charges of implicating JDU Harnaut block president Chandradeep Kumar Sen.