PATNA: On the verge of joining Bihar politics, Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Wednesday fired a salvo at the Nitish Kumar government over a young girl’s death after she was deprived of immediate treatment at a government hospital in Patna.
In a letter to the chief minister, Paswan said the incident reflected poorly on the government’s inadequate health infrastructure.
The girl, who hailed from Muzaffarpur district, waited for hours in an ambulance at the government-run Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and died because of delayed treatment. The victim’s family alleged hospital indifference caused her death.
Paswan said, “The heart-rending incident of Dalit girl’s rape and murder exposes the failure of Bihar’s law and order, social awareness and public health.”
Paswan’s letter comes amid reports that he may formally announce his intention to contest the Assembly elections at a public rally in Ara, Bhojpur district, next week.
His letter is significant, given that the assembly elections are a few months away and Chirag’s LJP(RV) and Nitish’s JD(U) are constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The relationship between Nitish and Chirag soured after the LJP leader, the son of the late Ram Vilas Paswan, fielded candidates against JD (U) candidates on some seats in the last assembly election, which impacted the latter’s chances in 36-40 seats. However, their recent bonhomie in public seems to suggest they had buried the hatchet.
Paswan’s letter blamed the hospital’s doctors and administrative staff for the girl’s death. “They did not provide prompt treatment and thus lost precious time. It is not just negligence, but a crime against humanity,” he wrote.
Paswan said his party’s leaders met with the victim’s family and assured them of justice. “But justice will be incomplete and unacceptable without strict and transparent action against the accused at the administrative level.” He requested an investigation into the alleged negligence of the medical staff.
“It is not simply a matter of death as it has become a symbol of the failure of our social system and a failure of our constitutional responsibility. If the administration stays silent, this silence will become the biggest crime,” he asserted.