Bihar shelter home rapes: Nitish Kumar will not resign, says JD (U)

New Delhi, Aug 5: With political temperatures running high over the rape of over 30 girls at a shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur, the Janata Dal (United) on Sunday said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will not resign, adding that the politicising such a sensitive matter is 'unfortunate'.

Earlier, six officials of Bihar's social welfare department were placed under suspension on account of "negligence and dereliction of duty". The state's Social Welfare Department suspended the officials on grounds that they did not act despite being informed over the ill treatment meted out to children at shelter homes.

Rejecting the opposition's demand for Kumar's resignation, senior JD(U) leader K C TYagi slammed opposition leaders including Congress president Rahul Gandhi for attending the RJD-organised protest in Jantar Mantar on Saturday.

"How can rape of young girls which has shamed us could be an issue for opposition parties to unite against the NDA government and the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar and demand his resignation. This politics over hapless victims in Bihar is the most unfortunate thing," Tyagi said in a press conference on Sunday.

Brajesh Thakur, who was chief patron of the NGO which ran shelter home, is the main accused in this case and a chargesheet has been filed against him and nine others. An FIR lodged by the state social welfare department in June led to the arrest of 10 people.

Tyagi today asserted that despite the opposition's demand, Kumar would never step down as the chief minister of Bihar and challenged them to unseat him in the Assembly.

"Nitish is a sensitive person and felt ashamed over the incident which the opposition parties are trying to use to hit at his conscience so that he steps down. But, he will never step down, we will not let him do so," he said.

He charged that the opposition parties wanted "anarchy" and "jungle raj" back in Bihar by replacing JD(U) and Nitish Kumar. Tyagi also demanded that all shelter homes for juveniles in the country be probed under a monitoring committee of the apex court.

Nitish Kumar earlier today said no one would be spared, adding that even those trying to shield the accused would be put behind bars.

OneIndia News with PTI inputs