'Reveals their mindset': Prashant Kishor slams JD(U) leader over ‘isolated incident’ remark on Jamui harassment case

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday highlighted the law-and-order situation in Bihar as he reacted to JD(U) state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha's remarks on the Jamui harassment case which he dubbed as ‘isolated incident’

Kishor, a former poll strategist, mentioned some recent incidents of harassment in Bihar and asked “what exactly constitutes a serious incident?

Also read: Man accused of harassing two minors in Bihar's Jamui shot in leg by cops

What Prashant Kishor said

“This reveals their mindset. But the people of Bihar must consider this: if this is an isolated incident—an exception—then what was the incident involving the NEET student? What about the attempt to drag a girl from a hotel in Begusarai at night, right in front of her father? What about the murders of Roshan Yadav, Bunty Yadav, and so many others? If this incident is considered isolated, then please tell us—what exactly constitutes a serious incident?” Kishor said.

Kishor's remarks come amid massive uproar and renewed scrutiny on women's safety in Bihar after a Class 10 girl in Jamui district was allegedly harassed when she was returning from a scenic spot with her male friend, also a teenager, on September 19.

What Kushwaha said

Kushwaha courted controversy after he called the incident as “isolated” or “minor” one while asserting that things were much bad before 2005 before the NDA came to power.

“When such ‘isolated/minor (chutput ghatna)’ incidents happen, our administration takes quick action. But one should recall what was the state of affairs in law and order front before 2005 when people used to live under fear and nobody used to venture out. All those involved in the incident would be booked and punishment would be given to the culprits,” Kushwaha said, making an oblique attack against the RJD which was in power till mid of 2005 .

Jamui harassment case

The two minors were reportedly intercepted by the accused on pretext of ‘moral policing’. The accused allegedly grabbed, groped and sexually assaulted the girl, while the boy was thrashed. The duo did not report the incident for the fear of being threatened by the accused. However, it came to light when a video of the alleged harassment, recorded by one Ramashish Choudhary, went viral. Police is looking for Choudhary who remains absconding.

“Although the incident is two days old, no complaint was made before us by the boy or the girl till Sunday. Today, when the video went viral, we traced the victims with the help of the registration number of a vehicle visible in the clip,” Jamui superintendent of police (SP) Vishwajeet Dayal told reporters.

An FIR under the POCSO Act and other relevant sections of the BNS was later filed. While victims didn't name the accused, cops traced and arrested three people based on the viral clip.

The Bihar government also constituted a special investigation team (SIT) has after a video of the two minors being allegedly harassed by a group in Jamui surfaced on social media.

Nandan Yadav shot at

On Tuesday, Nandan Yadav, the main accused behind the alleged harassment of two minors in Bihar's Jamui, was shot in the leg by cops. Yadav and one more person accused in the case have been arrested.

Bihar sports minister and Jamui BJP MLA Shreyasi Singh criticised the incident and rejected the justification of such behaviour under the garb of “moral policing”.

“Unfortunately, there are some unsocial elements of the criminal mindset and even today, in the name of moral policing, these kinds of incidents are brought to the forefront,” Singh said.

She said the Jamui administration acted after the incident came to its notice through social media and expressed hope that those yet to be arrested would soon face prosecution under the POCSO Act.

Singh said the incident should send a wider message that such acts would not be tolerated by the Bihar government.