With the sudden spurt in crimes against women, children and Dalits in Bihar, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Abdul Bari Siddiqui said that criminals are ruling the roost in the state allegedly due to discriminatory police action against culprits belonging to a certain caste and creed.
"Criminals are ruling the roost in Bihar. It is evident as people took to streets everywhere to express anger and stage protest against rising crime. All this is happening because police are targeting criminals belonging to particular caste like Yadav and other backward castes, Dalits and Muslims," Siddiqui claimed on Saturday.
Siddiqui, a senior Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, alleged that the police were not taking action against criminals belonging to powerful castes that encouraged the latter to indulge in criminal activities without fear.
'All criminals are equal before law. Police must act against all criminals," Siddiqui said.
Siddiqui, considered close to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, said that contrary to state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's repeated claims of sushashan (good governance) and establishing of rule of law, criminals have had a free hand.
In last few months, cases of kidnapping for ransom, murder, extortion, gangrape, loot and robbery have increased like never before. People are fed up with the deteriorating law and order condition in the state," he said.
"The ruling Janata Dal-United and its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party leaders described the 15-year rule of the RJD government as 'jungle raj', but now it is 'criminal raj'. Criminals have established their rule during Nitish Kumar's tenure as chief minister," Siddiqui added.
Quoting police records, he revealed that 9.62 lakh incidents of cognisable offences had taken place in Bihar after Nitish Kumar took over as chief minister in November 2005 till June 2012. This included 7,370 cases of rape, 22,855 cases of kidnapping and 848 cases of kidnapping for ransom.