PATNA: No sooner that the portfolios of ministers were announced in Bihar, the Opposition attacked the Nitish Kumar government on the appointment of JD-U’s Mewa Lal Chaudhary, an accused in a corruption case, as education minister.
Chaudhary has denied allegations. The JD-U leader figures among over 45 others as accused in a case of irregularities involving appointment of assistant professors when he was the V-C of the Bhagalpur-based Bihar Agricultural University from 2010 to 2015.
Though no charge sheet was filed against Chaudhary, investigation is on in the case.
A case was registered against Chaudhary and others by the vigilance department under various sections of the IPC in 2017.
Nitish had then expelled Chaudhary from the party for two years. However, Chaudhary is back after winning from Tarapur for a second time.
Sources said BJP leader Sushil Modi had demanded the arrest of Chaudhary after charges of irregularities surfaced in the appointment of 161 assistant professors-cum-scientists.
A government inquiry was conducted and the findings were submitted in the 63-page investigation report. The Governor-cum-Chancellor had ordered lodging of an FIR.
Sources said an advertisement was published on the existing vacancies of 281 posts in the university. Around 2,500 job aspirants were called for the interview in 2011.
As many as 166 candidates were selected in which selection norms were allegedly overlooked. Anamika Kumari, one of the rejected candidates, told a news channel that she had done well in the interview, but did not find her name in the final selection list.
Condemning Chaudhary’s appointment, Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra said: “Awarding education ministry to a person named in a corruption case, that too related to appointment of junior professors, has exposed Nitish Kumar’s claim of zero tolerance towards corruption”.
The RJD also attacked Nitish for making Chaudhary the education minister. In another development, former IPS officer Amitabh Das shot off a letter to the Bihar DGP demanding an inquiry into the death of Neeta Chaudhary, wife of Mewa Lal Chaudhary, on June 2, 2019.
Row over death of girl
The Opposition also took on the government over the death of a 20-year-old girl of minority community who was allegedly burnt by three youths in Vaishali district.
The matter took political colour when Congress’ Rahul Gandhi tweeted the incident tagging a newspaper clipping.