Bihar Govt to Repair Riot-hit Mosque, Madrassa; Coalition Partner BJP Questions Move

Patna: A controversy has erupted in Bihar after the state government decided to release funds for repairing a riot-hit mosque and madrassa in Samastipur and compensate victims of communal violence in other districts.

The home department, headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Wednesday allotted Rs 2, 13,700 for repairing Gudri mosque and Jiaul-Ulum Madrassa which, as the order reads, were damaged in the recent communal violence.

The government has also released Rs.25 lakh as compensation ‘for those whose shops were burnt in arson during Ramnavami procession’ in Aurangabad. Similar arrangement of Rs. 8.5 lakh has been made for compensating six affected people in Nawada district.

Kumar’s coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has questioned the move. Ram Sumiran Singh, Samastipur district president of BJP, said, “Both communities have been hit by the violence. This is unfortunate that the government decided to compensate only a particular community.”

Referring to arrest of nine BJP supporters, he alleged that the administration was targeting people in impartial way.

Bajrang Dal leader RN Singh accused Nitish Kumar of adopting appeasement policy and said his organization will oppose such one-sided decision of the government. “BJP talks of Hindutva but they can’t dare to directly attack Nitish. First of all what was the need to go with him? BJP must snap ties with Nitish.”

“There is no harm in chanting Jai Shri Ram or leading a religious procession as Muslims have been following the same tradition. But when Hindus went for procession on Ramnavami, they were provoked which led to violence. Their properties were also burnt and damaged. Who will compensate that?” he said.

Courtesy: News18