Cop-bashing on closing day of Budget session

Vijay Deo Jha

RANCHI | Sunday, March 28, 2010

The concluding day of the budget session of the State Assembly saw the Opposition adamant over its demand to suspend Bundu DSP, Anand Joseph Tigga for allegedly manhandling a bank officer Nasim Ahmed, on March 23.

Alleging that the State Government was shielding the police despite the preliminary inquiry report of the IG Rezi Dungdung, which found him guilty of misbehaving with Ahmed, the Opposition demanded exemplary action against the police officer.

The Opposition was not satisfied with the Deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das' announcement that Tigga had been transferred with immediate effect and the police constable who allegedly thrashed Ahmed had been suspended.

JVM leader Pradeep Yadav, Vinod Singh of CPI (ML) and Annapurna Devi stalled the proceedings of the house for a couple of minutes.

Calling the Government callous, the Opposition blamed it for hushing up the matter by suspending only the constable and demanded that the investigation report be placed before the House.

Reading out the report, Das accepted that the IG had held Tigga responsible for not reacting promptly and restraining the accused police constable.

"But this is a preliminary report. A full-fledged investigation is yet to take place. The police need to obtain the version of other passengers and drivers present that night. For this the department will publish advertisement in the newspaper so that eyewitnesses may come forward to give their statement," Das said. He rubbished the Opposition's allegation that the government was defending Tigga.

However, in another case the Opposition forced the Government to suspend another erring police official, the station in-charge Barkattha police, Rambhaju Dayal.

Pradeep Yadav who raised the issue said that the police did not register an FIR of the death of a 13-year-old girl Anita Kumari (daughter of Damar Mahato of village Sallaiya), who worked as Dayal's domestic servant for eight months.

Taking the matter seriously the Speaker CP Singh asked the government to take action against Dayal. The State Government announced Dayal's suspension of on the floor of the House and directed the police to lodge an FIR. The House also announced action against Dayal under different sections of Labour Law for employing a minor as servant.

The House also passed the Bill for the establishment National Law Study and Research University with some minor amendments. Tabling the Bill the HRD Minister Hemlal Murmu said that the proposed university will cater to the needs of a vast number of students and prove as a milestone.

The Opposition however, wanted changes in the proposed draft, including the opening of two centres of the proposed university in Dumka and Jamshedpur. Pradeep Yadav of JVM wanted the government to make provision of 70 per cent reservation for the students of Jharkhand against the proposed 50 per cent. Both proposals were rejected.

The HRD Minister also announced a law to curb arbitrary hike of the fee by the private schools without the prior sanction of the State Government. Answering Congress MLA Gitashree Oraon's query, Murmu said "We will soon bring the law. From now on private schools will have to reserve some of the seats for the poor students after the enactment of Right to Education Act," the minister said.