RJD, Congress raise Muzaffarpur rape in Lok Sabha; Tejashwi to march in Bihar

Members of Parliament from Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress raised the issue of the heinous Muzaffarpur Shelter Home rape case in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, July 24. RJD MP Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav representing Banka called the case a matter of national shame. Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan representing Supaul demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the case, saying "Till the time the inquiry is not completed, it is to be seen that the girls are given proper security".

On Monday, Bihar's Madhepura MP Rajesh Ranjan aka Pappu Yadav had also demanded a CBI probe into the case in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour. "The issue of rape with the daughters of Bihar in the shelter home has brought a shame to the state," said Pappu Yadav.

RJD leader and Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Tuesday accused the state government of "saving its top officials and leaders involved in the case”. “Digging operation took place only because of court's order. The opposition wants CBI to carry out a High Court-monitored probe into the case”, ANI quoted Tejashwi Yadav as saying. Yadav also said the RJD will launch an "NDA Bhagao, Beti Bachao Cycle March" from Gaya to Patna to highlight the failures of the NDA government.

Rape-murders at girl’s shelter home in Muzaffarpur shocks Bihar

The alleged rape-murders of inmates of Balika Grih, a short-stay home for girls in Muzaffarpur has triggered a major storm in Bihar with former Chief Minister and RJD leader Rabri Devi on Monday, July 23 first raising the demand for a CBI probe and alleging that the accused had links with the ruling Janata Dal (United) and government officials. She alleged the state government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was reluctant to act against the accused. "The government has been moving slow to save some people,who have close connection with the ruling party and the government," she said. Rabri Devi is a member of the Bihar Legislative Council.

Muzaffarpur district magistrate Mohd Sohail on Monday said the authorities have started digging work at Balika Grih. Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harpreet Kaur said an inmate recorded her statement before a judicial magistrate recently as required under the law. The SSP said two girls who had alleged that a girl was buried after she was raped and killed were present at the digging site. "It was they (the two girls) who had identified the place at Balika Grih, where a girl is allegedly buried," Kaur said.

She said the shelter home had been sealed for over a month after allegations of sexual abuse of the girls came to light during a social audit conducted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. The report of the audit was submitted to the social welfare department, which directed the local officials to lodge a complaint.

According to another official, efforts are on to exhume the bodies of girls who were allegedly killed after being raped and buried there. "The work is being carried out under the supervision of an executive magistrate. The local court had on Saturday allowed the district to carry out the digging," said an official.

Last week, a medical examination of 44 girls belonging to the home revealed that 21 were raped at Balika Grih. The district police have arrested an official of the home.

With IANS inputs