Former Bihar minister Shyam Rajak joins RJD
Patna: Former JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak, who has been sacked from the Bihar cabinet, returned to his old party RJD headed by Lalu Prasad on Monday.
Rajak joined Rashtriya Janata Dal here in the presence of top party leaders, including Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and state president Jagadanand Singh, at Rabri Devis 10 Circular road residence. He met Rabri Devi after joining the party.
Rajak was removed from the cabinet and was also expelled from the JD(U) on Sunday for six years for his anti-party activities.
Sources said the decision came in the backdrop of speculations that he may resign from the ministership and join RJD as he was miffed with the party headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He was apprehensive that the JD(U) may deny him a nomination in the state polls due later this year, sources said.
A prominent Dalit leader Rajak, who had served as a minister in the RJD government in the past, had left the party in 2009 to join the JD(U).
"I never compromised with the principles of social justice and secularism which we learnt from our leader Lalu Prasad," Rajak told reporters after joining the party. He slammed JD(U) for the manner in which he was expelled bypassing all constitutional provisions and norms of the party.
"It is quite ridiculous to know that I was expelled from the party within 10 minutes yesterday night. I am a member of national council and was also a proposer of Nitish Kumar during his election as the party chief. "They expelled me without following the provisions of the party's Constitution. What will happen to such a party?" he asked.
Welcoming him to RJD, Tejashwi Yadav said, "It is his home coming. We are happy. He believes in principles of social justice and secularism".
Taking a swipe at the state government Yadav said, "There is no one to listen to peoples representatives in the so-called double engine state government. Bureaucracy is ruling the roost. Crime graph and unemployment are increasing in the state.
Various parties have reacted to the development taking place months before the assembly polls. LJP chief and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan, who has been vocal against the JD(U) in the recent past, termed Rajaks exit from NDA as "unfortunate".
Paswan retweeted the party's one-line statement that "Shyam Rajak Jee ka NDA se jana Durbhagyapurna hai (exit of Shyam Rajak from NDA is unfortunate)".
Former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha president Jitan Ram Manjhi said, "Rajak remained minister for five years and now he has joined the RJD. If he is of the opinion that Nitish Kumar is anti-scheduled caste, then he should have resigned much earlier.
"Why he has taken the decision at the time of polls. There has been precedents when people resigned when they had difference of opinion". Ruling NDA hit out at Rajak.
"He is going to the man who has been convicted under section 420. He had intentions to attack JD(U)s policies by remaining in company of people belonging to 420. That's why party took a decision and expelled him, Information and Public Relations Minister and JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar said apparently taking a dig at the RJD supremo.
Bihar BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand said that it was an internal matter of the respective parties. "His activities raised questions. So the CM recommended his sacking from the cabinet. He is free to go anywhere," Anand said.
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Karnataka: College student dies by suicide in Dharwad, 3 policemen suspended
Dharwad (Karnataka) (PTI): A college student allegedly died by suicide here, following which three policemen were suspended over allegations of harassment linked to his death by the victim's family.
Aditya Myageri, a BSc student at a private college here, was among 18 students detained by the Vidyagiri police on April 25 during an anti-drug drive, police said on Wednesday.
He hailed from Belur village in Bagalkot district, but was staying with his friends at a rented accommodation in Girinagar area of Dharwad city, police said.
Among the 18 students tested, Aditya was among the 10 who had tested negative for ganja consumption and was subsequently released.
Some of his roommates, however, tested positive.
According to police, Aditya's family alleged that despite testing negative, he was harassed by police. They also claimed some policemen demanded Rs 2,000 to settle the matter and threatened legal action if he failed to pay.
He had called his mother asking for money, but she could not arrange it immediately, the family claimed.
On Monday night, Aditya allegedly died by suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan at his rented accommodation, with his family alleging police harassment and pressure over demand for money drove him to the extreme step, a senior police officer said.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar told PTI that an unnatural death case has been registered at Vidyagiri police station. Three policemen have been suspended over the allegations, and further investigation is underway.
