Congress wants Bihar Guv to dismiss Nitish govt: 'CM is shielding Munger SP Lipi Singh'

A day after the Election Commission took action against the SP and the DM of Munger after the shocking firing incident in the city, Bihar Congress leaders have sought the dismissal of Nitish Kumar's NDA government and has met Governor Phagu Chauhan on Friday. Led by Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee president Madan Mohan Jha, a delegation of leaders, submitted the memorandum to the governor at the Raj Bhavan in Patna, accusing the CM of being the 'real culprit' of the Munger firing. The delegation also demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation for the family of the person who died in the firing in Munger and the institution of an FIR after suspending the erring officials in this regard

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Congress national general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "We demanded the dismissal of the Nitish Kumar government ... We told the governor that the Munger incident took place at the instance of JD(U)-BJP government of Kumar and his deputy Sushil Modi. It was the BJP-JD(U) government which ordered the lathi charge and firing on the innocent devotees of Goddess Durga in which one person was killed while eight others were injured during the immersion of an idol on Monday night."

READ | EC Orders Immediate Removal Of Munger SP Lipi Singh & DM Rajesh Meena Over Firing Incident

Giving details about the memorandum, Surjewala said that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar instead of ensuring justice for the people of Munger actually protected the superintendent of police and district magistrate who are responsible for the incident. Citing the CISF email which has come to the public domain, Surjewala said that it belies the Nitish Kumar governments version that police did not fire on the people

"The government is protecting the two officials as the Munger superintendent of police is the daughter of one of the senior-most JD(U) leaders (Rajya Sabha member RCP Singh) while the collector is close to both Kumar and Sushil Modi. The Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi duo are the "real culprits" of the "brutal and ruthless" firing and lathi-charge which took place with their consent.

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What is the CISF email?

The CISF DIG's email has surfaced in which he wrote to the CISF Ranchi IG that local police first fired in the air and later a CISF constable also fired 13 rounds in self-defence after sensing that the situation may go out of control. "...A dispute raised between local police and devotees present in the procession. Due to which some devotees started pelting stones at the state police and other CRPF personnel. In order to control the situation, the local police first fired in the air, as a result, the devotees got agitated and started pelting stones heavily, the CISF email said. It further said ...In self-defence as the situation threatened to go out of hand, CISF No 943511126HC/GD M Gangaih of CISF unit CNP(N) fired in the air 13 No. of rounds (5.56 mm INSAS Rifle)."

EC takes action

Taking action on the Munger firing, the Election Commission of India on October 29, has ordered the immediate removal of SP Lipi Singh and DM Rajesh Meena. The EC has also ordered an inquiry into the entire incident and given a deadline of seven days to complete the investigation. 

READ | On Munger firing, Tejashwi & Chirag call Bihar CM Nitish 'General Dyer', regime 'Talibani'

Munger incident

On Monday, a group of people clashed with Police at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Chowk under the Kotwali police station limits of Munger during goddess Durga idol immersion. The video of the incident show Police brutally beating the worshippers, however, police allege that they took action after stone-pelting began. Police soon resorted to firing, allege the worshippers while the Police say the firing was started by someone from the crowd. One person was killed and over two dozen people, including security personnel, as per the official report, but people around the area say that the toll is higher. Superintendent of Police Lipi Singh is facing fierce criticism as she is the one who ordered the action on the worshippers. 

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