Activists play drum and other musical instruments in support of Rupam Pathak in Patna on Friday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Feb 4: Thousands of women today took out a rally in support of Rupam Pathak, the prime accused in the murder of Purnea MLA Rajkishore Keshari. They gave slogans against chief minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi.

The rally started from Akashvani Bhavan and culminated at R-Block in the state capital. The activists demanded justice for Rupam.

Sushma Kumari, an activist of Bihar Women’s Network, said: “The investigation in the case should be done by an independent agency instead of Bihar police. The deputy chief minister should resign from his post and stop making unnecessary comments against Rupam. Why has no action been taken against Bipin Rai (the other accused in the case)?”

Padma, an activist of Bihar Lok Adhikar Manch, said: “We demand Modi’s resignation for trying to influence the police investigation in the case. The deputy chief minister has no regards for the judiciary and has been making a mockery of it. The day Keshari was murdered, he went to Purnea and told reporters that Rupam was a “blackmailer”. How can he use such words?”

Speaking about their demands, Ekta Parishad activist Madho Prasad said: “Rai should be arrested as soon as possible. He is roaming freely. Navlesh Pathak should be released from jail immediately, as he has been falsely implicated in the case.”

Madho said the Pathak case should be shifted to the Supreme Court.

The women also raised their voice against the large scale exploitation of women. The secretary of All India Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan, Sadhna Mishra said on the one hand the state government talks about women empowerment and at the same time cases of women exploitation is on the rise.

The president of Mahila Jagran Kendra, Nilu, and All India Democratic Women’s Association, Ram Pari Singh, also spoke on the occasion.