Jailed RJD MP Shahabuddin throws tantrum at station

New Delhi, Aug 10 (UNI) The crumpled shirt, soiled jeans and overnight stubble were apparently weighing heavily on the mind of the incarcerated Bihar MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, who alighted at the Delhi station enroute to the Parliament House to cast his ballot in the Vice-Presidential election today.

While the RJD MP, who is serving a life sentence in the Siwan jail in an abduction and murder case, was determined to put up a ''decent appearance'' in the Parliament House, Delhi Police personnel, who accompanied him, were least impressed by his noisy demand to ''freshen up'' before exercising his franchise.

It all happened at the New Delhi station when Mohd Shahabuddin arrived here by Vaishali Express at around 1030 hrs to cast his ballot in the Vice-Presidential election as per a Supreme Court directive.

The jailed MP, whose name had once spelled terror in Siwan, made a shrill demand before the police personnel that he be taken to a hotel to freshen up. However, police officials, accompanying him, rejected the request, saying the apex court's directive was to take him ''straight to the Parliament House.'' The two sides stuck to their respective stand. Mohd. Shahabuddin gave vent to his indignation, even showed his petulance and theatrics, but the men in khaki were unyielding.

Attired in a black shirt and denim trousers, a fidgety Shahabuddin was quick to point out that he had travelled for 18 hours and it was natural on his part to ''freshen up and become decent'' before casting his vote.

In the same breath, the RJD MP conceded that the Delhi Police probably did not have any instruction for ''allowing me to go to a hotel or even to a station waiting room to enable me to take a bath and shave my beard.'' The high drama, which attracted a huge crowd at the station, continued for nearly two hours. Some senior police officials intervened, and it was finally decided that the MP should be taken to 'Rail Yatri Niwas', adjacent to the New Delhi station, before being taken to Parliament.

Mohd Shahabuddin had finally his way. He stayed for sometime at the Rail Yatri Niwas and came out ''clean and shaven''. Finally, the MP, who was accompanied by the Bihar Police and escorted by the Delhi Police, did cast his vote.

UNI