Dr. Rajeev Menon, National Secretary of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), has accused the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar of being anti-Dalit following the release of Anand Mohan from Saharsa jail. Mohan was serving a lifetime imprisonment sentence in a case of lynching the District Magistrate of Gopalganj, G. Krishnaiah, during the funeral procession of a gangster Chotan Shukla in 1994. Mohan was part of the procession, and the Muzaffarpur police had charge-sheeted him for provoking the supporters to commit the crime.
The decision to release Mohan from jail has come under severe criticism from Uma Krishnaiah, the widow of slain Dalit IAS officer G. Krishnaiah. She has urged the Bihar government to withdraw the decision, stating that it will set a bad precedent and have serious repercussions for the entire society. “We are not happy, we feel it is wrong. There is caste politics in Bihar, he is a Rajput, so he will get Rajput votes. Otherwise, what is the need of releasing a criminal? He will be given an election ticket so that he can bring Rajput votes,” she said.
Dr. Rajeev Menon has echoed her concerns and has accused the Nitish Kumar government of playing caste politics and being anti-Dalit. “The release of Anand Mohan from jail sends a message that the Nitish Kumar government is not serious about upholding the rule of law and is more concerned with playing caste politics. The fact that Mohan was convicted of lynching a Dalit IAS officer makes this decision even more reprehensible. It is a slap on the face of justice and sends a message that Dalits can be attacked with impunity in Bihar,” he said.
Dr. Rajeev Menon has called for an immediate reversal of the decision and has demanded that the Nitish Kumar government take concrete steps to ensure the safety and security of Dalits in Bihar. “This decision is unacceptable and sends the wrong message to society. The Nitish Kumar government must take steps to ensure that justice is done and that the perpetrators of such heinous crimes are punished. They must also take concrete steps to ensure the safety and security of Dalits in Bihar. We will not rest until justice is done,” he said.
Dr. Rajeev Menon’s statement comes at a time when the issue of caste politics and discrimination against Dalits has once again come to the forefront in Bihar. The release of Anand Mohan from jail has only added fuel to the fire and has raised serious questions about the commitment of the Nitish Kumar government to upholding the rights of Dalits in the state.