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Mahajan promises BJP won't interfere with Rabri's rule

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in New Delhi will not interfere in Bihar to contain the growing violence there, Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan said.

Speaking to newsmen in Bangalore, he added, ''(However) we will give help instantaneously to the Rabri Devi government to resolve the problems (if called for)."

Maintenance of law and order was primarily the responsibility of the state government, he added.

He denied the charge that the Union government had delayed deploying central forces to check the increasing violence. Even before the spate of Jehanabad massacres, there were adequate central forces in Bihar. But it was for the state government to utilise them positively, he felt.

On the demand for additional forces by the state, he said it would take sometime for the forces to reach Bihar. (Here's what Home Minister L K Advani said on the subject.)

Admitting that "lawlessness" prevailed in Bihar, he said the Centre could do hardly anything at this juncture. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who had stated that the Rabri Devi government should not continue on moral grounds, did not agree when it was dismissed, he recalled.

In Bihar, meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Magadh range) S K Bharadwaj said 22 people have so far been arrested in connection with the massacre.

He denied that the victims were Ranvir Sena members, or that any arms were found in the village.

Talking to the media in Patna, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha said he would submit a detailed report to the prime minister and urge him to make available special facilities to the affected families.

Railway Minister Nitish Kumar, who was also present there, along with Defence Minister George Fernandes, blamed the state government for creating tension to derive political mileage. He said the Samata Party supported President's rule in the state to provide 'a clean and able administration'.

Fernandes, expressing grief over the incident, said the Centre would try to help solve the problems of the backward areas of the state.

Asked about the state government's demand for additional forces, the defence minister said he was not aware of the situation but would certainly take up the matter with the Union home ministry.

The people of the area complained of police inaction though two outposts and a picket were available within three kilometres of the affected site.

Sources in New Delhi said Central Reserve Police Force Director General M N Sabarwal has airdashed to Patna for a firsthand assessment of the situation.

They said there has been adequate paramilitary forces in Bihar in the last one year, which was further augmented on February 2.

They, like Advani, denied reports that central security forces have been withdrawn from the state. Only security personnel on VVIP duty have been withdrawn. And that too, temporarily, they clarified.

UNI

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